After the news broke earlier in the week that Mark Kerr had left the club, much of the speculation surrounding the game centred around who would partner Ian McShane in the centre of midfield, and along with making that decision, manager, James Fowler, also had other team selections to ponder. In the end he decided that Lewis Kidd would fill the vacant midfield berth, and that both Andy Dowie, and Chris Higgins would return to the defence with Scott Hooper,  making way.

 

More life in the middle of the park with Kidd

 

    Visitors Livingston, on their third trip to Palmerston this season, arrived as the league`s bottom side having been on a terrible run of form. Since the sides played out a 2-2 draw back in October, the West Lothian team had lost 6 out of their last 7 games, although with 2 wins and 2 draws over Queens already during the campaign, they would have been boosted somewhat by those statistics, and no doubt further lifted by the recent removal of their ban to sign players.

The first game of the New Year at Palmerston attracted a crowd of 1940, and it was the home side that had the first half chance of the game following a foul on Gavin Reilly. From the set-piece, Ian McShane`s floated delivery tested `keeper Jamieson who under strong pressure punched the ball to safety. Almost straight away, Queens pressed forward again winning their first corner of the game. McShane`s in-swinging delivery saw `Keeper Jamieson palm the ball back out to McShane, whose cross back in towards the near post was well claimed by the Livvy `keeper just ahead of Iain Russell.

 The opening minutes of the game certainly belonged to the hosts, but for the next 15 minutes or so, the visitors settled and started to cause a few problems for the Queens defence. The tricky, but very unpredictable, Hippolyte looked lively and on the couple of occasions he was able to get in behind the Queens defence fortunately for the home side, he lacked support. Striker Jordan White was also involved in the early exchanges as his aerial ability seemed to be unsettling both Andy Dowie, and Mark Durnan, but once again Livingston`s final attacking play was not matched by their patient build up.

  As the home side you would have expected Queens to be taking the game to their visitors but as it was, they had to be content with trying to hit on the counter-attack. Whether or not this was tactical or was forced upon them by Livingston, their outlet was more often than not via Danny Carmichael on the right, and it was from the right wing on 16 minutes, that Queens created a really good opportunity to take the lead. A well worked move between McShane and Carmichael allowed the winger to skip to the bye-line before delivering an inch perfect cross on to the head of Reilly, but the striker climbed a fraction too early and his header flew over the bar. Queens went close again minutes later. A long ball over the top from Durnan had Fordyce struggling and he could only clear the ball for a corner. Once again McShane`s accurate delivery picked out Durnan at the far post and his looping header fell just wide of the post as `keeper Jamieson looked on.

  After a tricky opening period the hosts were now dominating most of the possession and they almost profited following a defensive lapse. After the ball had spun loose to Reilly, he quickly played the ball inside to Lyle just outside the area, but almost as soon as his shot left his boot it was well blocked by Gallagher and the chance had gone. A break from Livingston might have resulted in them scoring the first goal of 2015 at Palmerston, but after getting in behind the Queens defence on the left,Glen drifted across goal looking to shoot, but the Queens defence forced him wide and he eventually ran out of room.

  A good opportunity then arose for Queens as a foul by Mensing on Reilly 30-yards out handed them a set-piece opportunity. Unfortunately the usually reliable McShane wasted the chance by driving his shot directly into the defensive wall. Still though Queens continued to press forward and a neat flick on by Lyle from Dowie`s pass sent Reilly racing clear, but his shot from the right flew across the face of the goal. Reilly was involved again minutes later in the move that eventually led to the opening goal of the game. The striker swept a lovely pass out to Russell on the left and after waiting for the supporting run of Kevin Holt, Russell`s pass was perfect for Holt to cross on the run. The cross was a bit too deep and seemingly going out of play, but at the far post Carmichael did really well to play the ball off of a defender to give Queens another corner. More often than not, Queens are a threat from set-plays, and this proved to be the case once again as McShane`s precise ball in was met by Andy Dowie who rose high above everyone to power home a header, and although `keeper Jamieson got something on the ball, he was unable to keep it out. Four minutes later Queens had a chance to extend their lead. A sweeping move down the right involving Dowie and Lyle ended with Lyle`s cross picking out the unmarked Russell 6-yards out, but the ball bounced just in front of the Queens striker who could not react in time to adjust his position.

 

Dowie enjoyed his return to the side and his goal

 

   From almost doubling their advantage, Queens were kicking themselves moments later when following what can only be described as awful defending, Livingston drew level. As the ball bobbled around just outside the Queens penalty area, there seemed to be little danger as Dowie moved into clear, but the defender sliced his clearance which carried the ball back towards goal, There still didn`t appear too be much to cause concern, but unfortunately Chris Higgins was short with his attempted header back to Zander Clark, and Jordan White stole in to intercept Higgins` header and glance the ball past the stranded Queens `keeper to equalise for the away side.

   On the stroke of half-time, Queens might have gone ahead when a poor back pass set up a chance for Lyle, but the Livvy defence recovered to concede a corner, and then defended well to see off the danger from the resulting set-piece. The final note of the half saw Iain Russell become the first Queens player to be booked following a collision with Hippolyte. 

Queens were quick out of the blocks at the start of the second half and Reilly combined well with Russell to set up a shooting opportunity for McShane, but the midfielder`s attempt was blocked by Mensing. A similar pattern to the first half then took hold as the away team began to have more of the possession, and Queens were a bit fortunate on a couple of occasions not to fall behind. Firstly Hippolyte`s cross from the left fell to Mullen almost on the goal-line, but inexplicably he somehow managed to crash the ball against the post. During the scramble and in an attempt to get back across his goal to block the shot, Zander Clark collided with  Mullen, and the post, and unfortunately was unable to continue and had to be stretchered off. Clark was replaced by Jim Atkinson, and as Livingston mounted another attack, Hippolyte`s shot was deflected up and on to the roof of the net. Substitute `keeper Atkinson claimed the ball well from the corner, and his quick distribution sent Carmichael free on the right, with his progress down the wing only being halted by a poor challenge on him by Gallagher, that resulted in a caution for the centre-back. He was shortly followed into the book by Lewis Kidd who was a bit late with his challenge on O`Brien.

 

Clarks game is finished after colliding with Mullen

 

Atkinson gets up well and holds the cross ball

 

     The best chance of the early stages of the second half came for Queens, and once again it was from a set-piece. Iain Russell`s persistence won a corner on the left, and McShane`s delivery found Dowie all alone, but with the goal at his mercy he could not repeat his first half effort and the ball flew into the Portland Drive terracing. As play switched to the other end, Atkinson reacted well to deny White, saving well from close range. The hosts were starting to dictate more of the play, and Iain Russell was looking very lively against his former team, and his quick injection of pace and clever footwork were starting to pose problems for the visiting defence who were being forced further back as Queens looked for a second goal. That second goal arrived on 65 minutes, and although at the start of the move, Queens got a bit of fortune, the finish was precise and clinical. After getting the break of the ball Reilly raced to the bye-line and crossed to the far post and with the angle narrowing Derek Lyle crashed the ball in from close range to score his tenth goal of the season, and his third in as many games. The goal lifted Queens and their fluid passing game returned as every player looked confident on the ball. Lewis Kidd went close to adding a third goal, his effort from a free-kick not missing by much. 

 

Derek Lyle liked that finish

 

     The points should really have been sealed after 72 minutes when Gavin Reilly outpaced and then held off Mensing, but with time to pick his spot, he fired the ball straight at Jamieson. However, fortunately for Queens that miss did not prove to be costly because just 4 minutes later, they did score a third goal. Danny Carmichael did exceptionally well to win the ball back mid-way inside his own half and played the ball square to Lyle, and he in turn produced an excellent ball inside the defence that picked out the intelligent run of Iain Russell who drew the `keeper and slotted the ball calmly into the net. 

 

Russell and Kidd have a little celebration following Russells goal

 

     That contribution from Lyle was his last as he was replaced by Michael Paton with 12 minutes remaining. The final minutes of the game saw Queens having further chances to increase their lead, as both Russell, and then Paton tried their luck from distance, Russell going particularly close with a fine curling effort from just inside the area. Mark Durnan earned himself a needless yellow card with 5 minutes left, after being penalised for a foul deep in the Queens half, he foolishly threw the ball away leaving referee, Greg Aitken with no option other than to caution him.Kevin Dzierzawski replaced the impressive Russell for the final few minutes as Queens made a winning start to 2015. Kevin Holt got the sponsors man-of-the-match award as Queens moved level on points with Hibs as the second part of the season started with Queens gaining another three points.