Our top marksmans to date are Nicky Clark and Gavin Reilly and it`s good to see our young players playing so well.

Allan Johnston and Sandy Clark have `worked wonders` in a relatively short space of time and should be proud of their achievement.

Next up we have Dundee United at home in the Scottish Communities League Cup so we`ll be right up there looking to progress further.

However, over the years Queens haven`t fared well against the Tannadice side, but we`ll be all out to remedy that come Tuesday evening.

They`ve been somewhat of a hoodoo over the years so we`ll be out to make amends.

Our most recent meeting with Dundee United was in February 5th, 2005, when we lost 3-0 at Palmerston in the Scottish Cup.

Their manager then was none other than Ian McCall, a Doonhamer himself, but he was under a lot of pressure.

Only three days earlier he`d suffered a humiliating 7-1 hammering by Rangers but was a happier man come full-time having beaten Queens 3-0.

The match itself was featured on BBC Sportscene and the attendance was 5532.

At the game that afternoon was Lorraine Kelly the journalist and broadcaster--an avid `Tangerine` fan herself.

We met United again in 1997 in what was then the second round of the Coca-Cola Challenge Cup but again we went down. This time 4-2 at home on the 9th of August.

Norman Blount was our Chairman then but to be fair to Norman himself, we had reached the final of the Challenge Cup the season previous.

In this particular encounter Stevie Mallan netted a couple of late strikes which made the final scoreline look much better.

However, afterwards, Stevie claims that his second goal that day was the best he`d ever scored.

1992 was to be our next confrontation. It was the Skol Cup at Tannadice but we crashed out--losing 6-0. Certainly not a date to remember.

The Scottish Cup tie at Tannadice in 1990 was a much closer encounter but yet again we lost. This time 2-1.

Postponed on the Saturday but played on the Monday we got off to the best possible start with Jimmy Robertson`s corner being headed home by Stuart Gordon.

And to make it even better the cup sponsors Tennent`s awarded a bonus of £1000 for the fastest goal.

But on the downside the tie finished 2-1 in favour of the homesters.

The Queens` team was Davidson, Mills, I.Thomson, McCafferty, McGhie, Sim, Johnston, Gordon, A. Thomson, Sloan and Robertson.

The crowd that night was 5948.

Going back even further to August 20th, 1986, we lost again at home to the `Arabs--1-0 in the second round of the Skol Cup and even the big support of over 5000 couldn`t force a victory.

The visitors had a few World Cup players in their side but nothing went for us. George Cloy had a penalty saved and Tommy Bryce a goal disallowed.

And it was a similar story the year previous when they beat us again, this time 3-0.

On the 27th February 1978 we met again but were well beaten 3-0. It had been a long hard season and Dundee United ran out worthy winner at Tannadice.

In 1962-63 we were involved in a real marathon!

It was the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup and were paired with Dundee United once more. We drew 1-1 at Tannadice in the first game and 1-1 after extra-time at the second attempt. However, in a decider played at Ibrox, we crashed out losing 4-0.

At the end of this particular season big Jim Patterson (a hero in his own right) left after 14 years faithful service.

Our earliest ever cup battle with Dundee United was (believe it or not) in season 1931-32. We drew 2-2 at Palmerston and following a replay up there we finished level again at 1-1. Alas, at the third attempt they triumphed 2-1 on neutral ground at Ibrox at to end a gallent fight.

And talk about enthusiasm! A company of local fans set off for Ibrox on the Sunday on cycles. How`s that for enthusiasm!