It was back on the road this weekend as we headed north to face Cove Rangers. Manager Peter Murphy made two changes to the side that started against Kelty Hearts, Harry Cochrane who took a heavy knock in that game missed out and was replaced by Benjiman Luissint in midfield while Oscar MacIntyre started at the expense of Jordan Allan who dropped to the bench.

Queens kicked the game off and made a positive start to the game and quickly won a corner that Kyle Doherty played into the box, but his delivery was too close to the keeper it and it was an easy take for Balint Demus.

They kept up the pressure and did take the lead after seven minutes when Taylor Charters broke down the left and played the perfect cross into the box where Reece Lyon who had made the run unchallenged fired a right foot shot past Demus into the net.

With their noses in front, Queens were hungry for a second and as Liam Smith chased a long ball, he was under pressure from Michael Doyle and couldn’t get the ball back into the danger area.

The home sides chances were limited but Arron Darge hit a shot on the turn at the edge of the box but it was well off target. As Queens pressed again, Brennan Dickenson was unlucky with his effort that ended up just the wrong side of the upright and Smith did well to hold off the challenge on the by-line to create an opening only for the home side to clear.

Midway through the half, Smith played in a corner that was met by Dickenson, his header was palmed away by Demus and as Cove cleared, Smith won the ball back and played it wide to Jack Brydon who set up Lyon. As he bored his way towards goal, he looked odds on to score his second of the game but the keeper came out bravely to take the ball from his feet.

The visitors had been on top until just before the half hour mark when they survived a scare. With Cove coming back into the game a shot was spilled by Ross Stewart and fell to Darge but Jack Hannah was on the line to clear.

It was a warning for Queens and less than a minute later, Cove were back level when Finlay Marshall’s pass found Blair Yule just outside the box and his left foot shot flew round Stewart just inside the post to nestle in the net.

With Mitch Megginson and Fraser Fyvie both standing on the line unsighted, Stewart and Hannah both scrambled to clear as the ball was played in from the left. After a positive start by Queens, Cove turned it round and Stewart was beaten again, nine minutes before the break when a clearance was played straight to Adam Emslie and he picked his spot.

In the closing stages of the first half, Adam Brooks won a free-kick that Doherty played across the box, Lyon got his head on the end of it but headed wide. At the other end, Megginson turned the ball wide of the upright as Hannah put him under pressure.

And with the final chance of the opening forty-five, Dickenson floated the ball into the box for Lyon but as he caught it on the volley it flew well over.

HALF TIME: Cove Rangers 2 Queens 1

It was the home side who restarted brightly and as Emslie got the better of MacIntyre on the left, Fyvie couldn’t connect.

Just before the hour mark, Smith did well to work his way to the 18-yard line but as they tried to walk it through the home defense, Luissint and Doherty both couldn’t get a shot away and allowed Cove to make the break. Stewart made a save from Emslie at the first attempt but and as the ball fell to Fyvie his effort was deflected onto the crossbar and out for a corner.

Three minutes later they did find the net again when a ball in from the right by Dylan Lobban fell into the path of Emslie and he wasted no time in sweeping a right foot shot high into the net.

As Queens tried to fight back, Smith again used pace to get through the middle and play the ball out wide to Brooks, only for the keeper to come out to block the striker’s effort.

Midway through the half, Lyon won a free kick at the edge of the box but Dickenson skied the set piece over the bar. Smith was then nudged inside the box but it wasn’t enough to earn his side a penalty.

Queens were piling on the pressure again and as MacIntyre worked his way along the six-yard line, he laid it back to Allan but his shot was well saved by Demus. As the ball was played back in, Allan again got on the end of it but this time he was denied a goal when his header crashed off the upright.

Already having lost Jack Brydon to injury, Queens suffered another blow five minutes from time when Dickenson who had moved back to defense also picked up an injury and had to leave the field.

FULL TIME: Cove Rangers 3 Queens 1