1st Team

Defeat at Livingston

Jul 1 2023 20:34

Marvin Bartley was back on very familiar territory in his old stomping ground and whilst he again listed a very big squad, there was no change of the entire eleven at half time this time. Queens started with the following eleven:

1 Gordon Botterill, 2 Jordan Houston, 3 Trialist, 4 Jack Brydon, 5 Kyle McClelland, 6 Trialist, 7 Kieran McKechnie, 8 Keir Foster, 9 Gavin Reilly, 10 Harry Cochrance, 11 Craig McGuffie.

Josh Todd, Reegan Mimnaugh and Iain Wilson were out with injuries suffered last weekend (though Todd and Mimnaugh did do full training sessions pre-match) whilst Daniel Church also wasn't fit yet and Lewis Gibson is nursing a minor niggle. That saw a big opportunity for young Keir Foster from the reserves squad for a first team start and he didn't let himself down.On the bench we had Murray Johnson, Paul mcKay, Cammy Logan, Ben Johnstone, Lewis Currie, Jay Burns, Lee Connelly, Kyle Doherty, Ross Irving, Finlay Kennedy and two other trialists.

Queens started positively but lost a goal in Livingston's first attack of note. The home team got in down the left side and when the cross came in Joel Nouble was on his own right in front of goal. Although Gordon Botterill parried his close range effort the loose ball bounced straight to Scott Pitman to turn into the empty net.

Livingston dominated the next half hour to be fair and Nouble looked like he probably should have been awarded a penalty before Jack Brydon did give one away in the 23rd minute. Former Queens favourite Ayo Obileye stepped up to take it but Botterill wasn't fooled into going too early and easily saved the rolled effort. Soom after Stephen Kelly almost made it 2-0 with his top corner bound drive only for Botterill to turn it over the bar spectacularly.

After half an hour the Trialist wearing No 6 was withdrawn and replaced with Lee Connelly and Cochrane dropped into a deeper role. Queens immediately began to offer more threat and should perhaps have equalised before the break when Houston's looping cross was too high for Reilly but found the in-rushing McKechnie at the back post. However, his poked effort was smothered. Five minutes later he made great contact on a shot from the edge of the box and forced a fine diving save out of Shamal George too. Right on half time he had a third opportunity but rolled his shot wide of the far post.

At half time Cammy Logan came on in an unfamiliar left back role in pace of the other trialist. The early part of the second period saw little goalmouth action at either end before a succession of changes for both sides began around the hour mark. Two minutes after coming on as a sub, the impressive Steven bradley doubled the Livi lead with a shot from the edge of the box. Over the last half hour Queens sent Murray Johnson on for Botterill, Ben Johnstone for Foster, a 3rd trialist for McGuffie, Paul McKay for Houston, Kyle Doherty for Reilly and Ross Irving for McKechnie. Just before he left the pitch McKechnie was again sent clean through on goal by Lee Connelly's pinpoint pass but George smothered the ball at his feet.

In the end, a useful exercise away to a decent quality Premiership sidetoday in Livingston but ultimately a 2-0 pre-season defeat.