We rounded off our Premier Sports league cup fixtures with a trip to Stranraer. With qualification impossible and several games in a short space of time, Manager Peter Murphy took the opportunity to rest a few players. Jack Hannah didnt travel due to the birth of his daughter, while Taylor Charters, Matty Douglas and Benji Luissint all reverted to the bench. Giving starting opportunities for Niall Rogerson, Ben Johnstone, Euan Ross and a debut for Callum Penman who joined on loan from St Mirren.
It was an even opening to the game but Queens edge it in terms of possession. Liam Smith did well to keep the ball on the wing before cutting inside, but with no way through, he played the ball back out to Mikey Hewitt on the touchline who delivered it back into the box looking for Kurtis Guthrie only for the hosts to clear.
A minute later, Kai Kennedy hit a shot from 19-yards that wasnt far away.
Stranraer were up for it and as the lively Ryan Edgar made his way into the six-yard area, Johnstone cleared after a bit of a scramble. A short time later the striker was unlucky not to win a free-kick when he held the line and looked to be pulled back when he homed in.
Smith was on form and as he skipped through Daniel McManus and Aaron Quigg, he crossed into the box for Hewitt but his effort was high. Queens were finding it hard to breakdown a solid backline but Smith managed to get the ball into the area where Ross had a shot deflected for a corner. As Smith played it in, Guthrie knocked it on for Rogerson who got his head on it but Josh Lane collected.
Midway through the half Ross header was just wide and with half an hour gone, Smith was through on his own and lifted the ball over the keeper but it was just too high and came back off the crossbar.
As the ball was played back up the park, Evan Dunne hit a powerful shot that Ross Stewart pushed out for a corner. As the ball was cleared Smith burst away but was halted at the half way line by a good challenge from Jordan Stuart.
Queens were creating opportunities and as Kennedy delivered into the six-yard box, Finn Ecrepont cleared ahead of Smith. Ten minutes before the break, Penman had a right foot shot from distance but it landed in the arms of the keeper.
The hosts had chances of their own and McManus headed over the bar before Guthrie was off target with his header as he got on the end of Kennedys corner.
Smith had been a threat throughout the first half and Quigg picked up a booking just before the interval for a poor challenge on the winger.
HALF TIME: Stranraer 0 Queens 0
It was the Blues who had the first chance after the restart when Rogerson was forced to clear from Dunne. But as Queens hit back, a free-kick was knocked down by Rogerson into the path of Guthrie, the big striker got to it but he was stretching and it was an easy collect for Lane.
Kennedy tested the keeper five minutes later with a right foot curler from 20-yards, it was a good strike but Lane did well to get down to his left to punch clear. He then had an easy save when Kennedy hit a free-kick straight at him.
On the hour mark, Ross had nowhere to go inside the box so knocked it back out to Johnstone only for the home side to clear and as the ball was played up field, Queens were caught out of position and as Ecrepont crossed, Quigg was on hand to bundle the ball over the line to give Stranraer a lead.
The hosts had another chance minutes later when Mark Russell crossed into the box and Edgar headed over. Luissint who had replaced the injured Jack Stott was well off target with a right foot shot before Kennedy set up Charters with a terrific pass but the ball was cleared for a corner.
As Queens looked for a leveler, Reece Lyon headed over from close range. It was to be his final chance on goal as he found himself in goal at the other end. Having started the game at center back and moved to center forward, he took over between the sticks when Stewart raced out his area and clattered Sallu Turay, picking a red card after a second booking. As Queens had already used all their subs, they were unable to bring on young Mark Thomson and Lyon was the outfield player who took over the orange jersey.
In the closing stages Harry McLinden had a header saved by Lane before things boiled over in the middle of the park and three players were booked as a scuffle threatened to breakout.
The defeat rounded off our cup campaign and the focus now turns to our league opener away at Cove Rangers on Saturday.
FULL TIME: Stranraer 1 Queens 0
Teams:
Stranraer: Lane, Stuart (Sharp 80), Ecrepont, Reid, Rough, Quigg (McKnight 68), Russell, Dunne, McManus, Hunter & Edgar (Turay 67). Subs not used: Henderson, Docherty, Ellis & Hilferty.
Queens: Stewart, Hewitt (Charters 65), Lyon, Smith, Kennedy (Douglas 76), Penman, Johnstone, Rogerson, Stott (Luissint 65), Ross (McLinden 83) & Guthrie (Burke 76). Subs not used: Thomson, Hall & Chapman.
Ref: Duncan Williams
Crowd: 815