Queens tasted defeat for the first time this season as they were beaten by two goals to nil in their final Betfred Cup group game away at Premier League side Motherwell, and although for a long period in the first half Queens struggled to contain their hosts, after a re-shuffle at the interval, they produced a decent effort in the second period and caused the home side a few problems.
There was just one change made to the team that started Saturday`s game in Edinburgh with Kyle Jacobs replacing Andy Stirling as Queens lined up in a 4-4-2 formation.. The opening minutes of the game saw the home side start brightly and Tait went close to finding the net inside 4 minutes but after getting in behind Jordan Marshall, fortunately for Queens his effort hit the side netting.
After a shaky start, Queens settled and for the next few minutes they were certainly the better team and created three really good chances to take the lead. Seizing on a defensive error, Stephen Dobbie worked a shooting position for himself, but his shot was too close to the `keeper who was able to save comfortably. Minutes later Dobbie was only prevented from scoring his 8th goal of the season by `keeper Carson who dived to palm his shot away and defender Kipre cleared the loose ball to give Queens their first corner. Gary Harkins` set-piece was met by the head of Callum Semple, but once again Carson was equal to his effort and his reactions kept the game scoreless.
Dobbie weaves his way toward goal
Disappointingly Queens would pay a heavy price for failing to convert any of those opportunities, as on 12 minutes the home side took the lead. Cadden`s break from midfield ended with a perfectly placed pass that Sammon ran onto and as Alan Martin came to meet him, the experienced striker produced an assured finish to score his first Motherwell goal. You have to say that the build up and finish were of real quality and even better defences than Queens would have struggled to defend that particular move.
Understandably the home side were boosted by the goal and for the next period of the game Queens were just about holding on as Sammon and Bowman prompted by the impressive midfield pairing of Cadden, and Campbell caused the Queens defence numerous problems as they searched for a second goal. A long range drive from Rose was well off target, and the lead was almost doubled when Frear was only inches away from getting on the end of a cross from Sammon at the back post , After weathering the `mini storm`, Queens had a moment of respite when a mazy run from Harkins was ended by a foul on him giving Queens a more than decent chance from a centrally situated free-kick, sadly though Dobbie`s effort from 20-yards never looked like giving Carson any cause to worry and his shot flew way over the bar.
There were a few half hearted appeals from the Queens players as well as many of their travelling fans for a penalty just past the half an hour period when Josh Todd went sprawling to the ground in the box, but referee Robertson was not interested and play continued with a long ball down the Motherwell right from Tait that was flicked into the path of Sammon by Bowman and the striker once again produced a clinical finish to gave his side a two goal advantage.
Sammon nets his second
This was always going to be a tough test for Queens, and the home side were frequently able to carve through the Queens defence and at that point the travelling support of 447 must have been fearing the worst, but thankfully it remained at just a two goal deficit at the break.
HALF-TIME MOTHERWELL 2-0 QUEENS
There were no changes in personnel for Queens at the break, but there was a change to the formation as we went with a 4-2-3-1 set-up leaving Dobbie playing as the lone striker. Obviously the change was to stop the Motherwell midfield from dominating the game as much, and to a certain degree it did work, although it did mean that we were a bit short when going forward.
The majority of the opening period of the half was played in the middle of the park as Queens dug deep to restrict Motherwell`s possession, although Sammon went close to grabbing his hat-trick when he got the break of the ball but from close range, and a very tight angle, his powerful shot went well over.
A poor challenge on Bowman by Callum Semple saw the Queens centre-back become the first player to be cautioned, and although Bowman did carry on for a few minutes, he eventually had to be replaced because of the challenge. Moments later Lyndon Dykes followed his team-mate into the referee`s notebook as for a few minutes one or two tempers started to fray.
On 69 minutes Queens had their best moment of the half. A neat passing move that saw the ball worked out to Scott Mercer down the right allowed the full-back to pick out a precise cross and when Dobbie met the ball with a powerful header, most of the travelling support were on their feet ready to acclaim the goal, but somehow Carson was able to dive to his right and claw the ball back when it seemed as though it had already beaten him.
Queens made their first change when Todd was replaced by Stirling and as the game started to open up, Motherwell went close to adding a third goal when Campbell`s surging run saw him lay the ball into the path of Sammon, but the covering Queens defence were able to block his shot. They went close again with their next attack when substitute Grimshaw used the outside of his foot to curl a shot only just wide as Martin scampered across his goal.
With just four minutes remaining Owen Bell replaced Michael Doyle but it was the hosts who almost scored again when Martin made a bit of a mess of Cadden`s shot and spilled the ball into the path of Sammon, but the Queens `keeper redeemed himself by recovering brilliantly to smother the hat-trick seeking striker`s effort.
Martin denies Sammon a third
So a first defeat for Queens this season, the first game without scoring, but over the piece a decent effort against a very impressive Premier League outfit. Fingers crossed that the 9 points we have will be enough to see us into the knockout stage.