After last week’s win over Stenhousemuir, Manager Peter Murphy stuck with the same starting eleven for the trip to Kelty Hearts.

Within the first four minutes Queens won a free kick and Kyle Doherty’s right foot effort from around 20-yards was well saved by Ruairidh Adams as he turned it out. Lewis O’Donnell took the resulting corner that Adams collected but the whistle had already blown.

A short time later, Brennan Dickenson played the ball in from the left hand side for O’Donnell at the edge of the six yard box, the midfielder, tried to side foot it into the net but it landed the wrong side of the post.

As play moved to the other end, Craig Johnston tried a shot from distance but it was well saved by Ross Stewart.

With nothing much between the sides, any play was being cancelled out, Dickenson did get the ball in to the danger area from the right this time but neither O’Donnell or Adam Brooks could make the connection.

The home side had a chance two minutes later when Lewis Moore held of the challenge of Mikey Hewitt and Reece Lyon before cutting inside to shoot but his shot was straight at the keeper and an easy take for Stewart.

Midway through the half, Brody Paterson laid the ball back for Moore but from inside the box he dragged his shot wide of the upright.

Paterson later created another opening but Connor Allan missed the target with a header.

Queens had probably edged a close first half without creating too many chances, but Jack Hannah had to react quickly as he won the foot race to get the ball ahead of Johnston in the final minutes before the interval.

HALF TIME – Kelty Hearts 0 Queens 0

Eight minutes after the restart, O’Donnell headed the ball back in to the six-yard box only for Thomas O’Ware to clear.

As the conditions deteriorated with sleet and the wind picking up the home side started to take more control of the game and were given too much space that allowed Johnston to win a corner. Just before the hour mark the same player had another chance when from inside the box he hit a low right foot shot only for Stewart to save.

Kelty did take the lead on 64 minutes when Ross Cunningham picked up the ball in the middle of the park and from distance riffled a shot towards goal, it took a wicked deflection off O’Donnell as it flew high into the net.

As the visitors prepared to make changes, their hand was forced when Dickenson went down feeling his hamstring and had to leave the field.

Queens couldn’t really get back into the game although, Oscar MacIntyre did make his way to the byline to deliver a cross to the opposite side of the box. Doherty did well to keep it in play and turned to get it to Leighton McIntosh at the front post but it was knocked wide.

Any chance of taking something from the game ended with five minutes of the 90 left when Harry Cochrane made a challenge on Allan inside the box and referee Greg Souter had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick. Cunningham took the penalty and sent Stewart the wrong way as he hit a right foot shot to the keeper’s left hand side to score his and Kelty’s second of the afternoon.

In the final minutes, Cunningham shot from inside his own half after spotting Stewart off his line but he was denied a hat-trick when the keeper collected.

With the last kick of the game Brooks had a half chance to pull one back but had it gone in, it would have been nothing but a consolation.

FULL TIME – Kelty Hearts 2 Queens 0