Due to a combination of suspension, injury, and illness there were five changes to the starting eleven to face Annan. Kyle McClelland, Jordan Houston, and Paul McKay all missed out with Lee Connelly and Lewis Gibson dropping to the bench. Cammy Logan and Oscar MacIntyre both returned to defence while there were starts for Kieran McKechnie, Craig McGuffie, and Kyle Doherty.

Both sides made a positive start to the game and within the opening ten minutes Queens had a penalty claim waved away when Benjamin Luissint looked to have handled the ball inside the box and at the other end Wullie Gibson’s free kick was headed back by Tommy Goss but was cleared.

MacIntyre then did well on the wing to get past Matty Douglas before setting up a chance for McKechnie. The winger did have a shot, but it was weak and straight into the hands of Greg Fleming.

As the game flowed from end to end, McKechnie had another effort, this time cleared by Gibson but as the visitors broke, Michael Garrity fired over.

The breakthrough came on the half hour mark when a free kick was played short by Gibson to Luissint, the former Queens midfielder picked out Garrity on the wing and as he delivered the ball into the penalty area, Aidan Smith smashed the ball past Harry Stone to give Annan the lead.

Queens had to dig deep, and Josh Todd hit a left foot volley low only for Douglas to clear. Before McGuffie produced a piece of magic to pull his side level. At the edge of the box, he somehow managed to keep hold of the ball with fantastic footwork as he twisted, turned, and waltzed around at least four defenders to create space and show composure to place the ball into the net.

In the closing stages of the first half, Efe Ambrose’s long cross dropped at the back post only for the visitors to clear as McKechnie got ready to pounce. And at the other end, Stone saved to deny Goss on the stoke of half time.

HALF TIME: Queens 1 Annan 1

Six minutes after the restart, Queens were forced into a change when Daniel Church who was already playing in a makeshift defence pulled up with a hamstring problem and had to be replaced. Ben Johnstone came off the bench into the middle of the park with Todd dropping back into a central defender’s role.

And it was Annan who had the first real chance of the second half when Gibson floated in a corner and Stone had to save from Goss on the line.

But it was Queens who took the lead when Doherty played a sublime ball down the channel for Gavin Reilly to chase. The striker made his way towards goal and showed class as he hit a right foot finish past Fleming.

Midway through the half, Luissint did well to set up Smith, but his left foot effort was straight at Stone. And with fifteen minutes remaining, Stone pushed Gibson’s free kick up into the air and as it landed, Ambrose headed the ball off the line as Steve Swinglehurst aimed down the middle. Todd who was outstanding in his new position, collected the loose ball and raced away, the moved ending with Harvey Walker winning a corner.

As Queens pushed, Connelly who had come off the bench hit a long-range right foot effort wide.

Three minutes from time Goss went down looking for a penalty but referee Peter Stuart was having none of it and booked the forward along with Douglas. And five minutes later the visitors were reduced to ten men when Goss made a poor challenge on Logan and picked up a second yellow resulting in a red.

FULL TIME: Queens 2 Annan 1