We headed to the Capital for our first away game of the league one campaign to face Edinburgh City, a side who had failed to beat us in over a dozen meetings.
After a disappointing open day defeat at the hands of Alloa, the manager made four changes to the starting eleven. Daniel Church made his first start for the club with Efe Ambrose, Lee Connelly and Harvey Walker the others making up the changes, as Paul McKay, Jordan Houston, Josh Todd, and Craig McGuffie missed out and drop to the bench. Summer signing Kyle Doherty who had been out injured was also named amongst the substitutes.
Queens made a decent start with Walker pushing up and delivering a couple of early balls into the box, but they couldnt make them count and as the home side found their feet, Innes Murray tried a shot from distance.
It was a warning to Queens that the hosts werent going to make it easy and with thirteen minutes played Murray cut the ball back for Kieran Offord. Gordon Botterill made a great save to turn his right foot shot out for a corner. From the resulting set piece City opened the scoring when Murray got on the end of Robbie Mahons delivery to head into the top corner.
Although trailing, Queens were controlling the game but just didnt look sharp enough in the penalty area. A good ball in by Walker fell for Connelly, who controlled it well and turned but he was crowded out before he could have a shot. Walker was getting the ball into the box, but Andy McNeil was collecting well and the defenders doing their job.
Midway through the half, again Walker got the ball into the six-yard box, but this time McNeil saved Gavin Reillys volley. Reegan Mimnaugh played in the corner, but Kyle McLelland headed over.
Six minutes from the break, Church made a great run and couldve taken the shot himself but opted to play it wide for Walker, who in turn fired it low across goal. Reilly was on hand, but the home side again cleared. Connelly played it in and somehow both Reilly and McLellands efforts were scrambled clear, and it looked like it was going to be one of those days for Queens.
HALF TIME: Edinburgh City 1 Queens 0
Into the second half and Mahon hit a shot from distance for City but it was well off target and over the bar. At the other end Connelly found the roof of the net with his shot from outside the box and on the hour mark as Walker was brought down by Jack Wilkie, Kieran McKechnie who had had a fairly quiet game so far hit a free kick from 20 yards wide of the upright.
Doherty and Lewis Gibson were brought off the bench and both made an impact. The former played a decent ball over the top for Connelly to chase but from a tight angle he couldnt get enough power on it and the keeper collected at the front post.
Ten minutes after coming off the bench, Doherty dragged a left foot shot wide and then Cammy Logan made his way down the left wing but his ball into the box was too close to the keeper.
Twenty minutes into his debut Doherty levelled for Queens as the two substitutes combined. Gibbo whipped the ball in for the striker to open his account for the club with a well taken side footed shot into the net.
It gave Queens the spark that they needed and a minute later, Harry Cochrane who had the captains armband for the game was unlucky as he curled a powerful right foot shot only for it to crash back off the post.
They did manage to take the lead just sixty seconds later when Reilly cut the ball back for Gibson and the 18-year olds left foot shot from outside the box tested the keeper. McNeil had denied Lewis but was beaten from the corner, as the ball was played into the box McLelland rose to head into the far corner. His euphoria was short lived though as the defender picked up a second yellow for the celebrations leaving Queens to play the last eight minutes of normal time with ten men.
As Queens broke through Cochrane, he played the ball for Doherty but in what looked like the wrong call, the flag was up for offside.
And in added on time, Queens were up against it, but Toddy answered the managers call and played the game out in defence, making two crucial blocks to keep Queens ahead and to secure the first three points of the season.
FULL TIME: Edinburgh City 1 Queens 2