The 2024/25 season got underway with the visit of Premier league side Aberdeen, as they travelled to Palmerston for our first Premier Sports Cup Group A match.
It was always going to be a test for Peter Murphys new look side that only had two players from last season in the starting eleven. And it wasnt the best of starts as Jimmy Thelins men took an early lead. Shayden Morris delivering a perfect cross from the right-hand side of the pitch to Ester Sokler who headed the ball into the net.
The visitors were out to impress, and the lively Morris used his pace down the wing before cutting inside, as he reached the box, Brennan Dickenson challenged to end his run.
As the game progressed, nice play from The Dons saw Leighton Clarkson and Ester Sokler link up well, thankfully for Queens, the former knocked his shot wide of Ross Stewarts left-hand post.
They did however extend their lead midway through the first half when a mix up at the back left Harry Cochrane unable to get the ball away and Graeme Shinnie was on hand to score.
Morris was proving a real handful and on the half hour mark again caused a problem, his lightening speed set up Sokler, but the offside flag went up.
The striker did get his second, Aberdeens third nine minutes before the break when Shinnie and Clarkson combined on the left to play the ball across the face of goal for an easy finish.
HALF TIME: Queens 0 Aberdeen 3
Going into the second half, great footwork from Jack MacKenzie at the edge of the box set up Sivert Nilsen but the home defence managed to block.
And just three minutes after the restart, as Queens attacked more Benji Luissint pounced on a mistake, the midfielder dragged the ball wider to his right to make space for himself before hitting a right foot shot off the base of the upright.
Two minutes later a great ball from Reece Lyon was chased by Leighton McIntosh who in turn found Kyle Doherty but the visitors closed ranks and he couldnt find a way through.
Aberdeen too hit the frame of the goal when Nicky Devlin got on the end of a cross with his right boot. And just before the hour mark, Queens made a strong claim for a penalty when they thought the ball had been handled inside the box.
After a string of substitutions from both sides, the next real goalmouth action came fifteen minutes from time when Peter Ambrose latched on to a miss hit clearance and made his way to goal, Dickenson made a good tackle, but the flag was up anyway.
It may have been a disappointing result but overall, it was a good test for Queens against a very strong side.
FULL TIME: Queens 0 Aberdeen 3