The Doonhamers grabbed their first point of the season with a hard fought draw away to Arbroath. James Maxwell?s first professional goal was cancelled out by a Bobby Linn equaliser early in the second period.

 

 

There were two changes to last week?s side that lost narrowly at Dunfermline with Jack Leighfield making his first appearance in-goal for the Doonhamers since September last year, while Euan East returned to the starting-XI at the expense of Calvin McGrory.

A minutes silence was held before the start of the match to remember all who have fallen in the defence of the country

 

It was the first time this season Queens really dictated proceedings right throughout the first-half. Stephen Dobbie was drifting out to the right, seeing plenty of the ball in doing so, although only tested Derek Gaston with a tame effort straight at the ?keeper.

 

Arbroath were awarded their first corner of the game on six minutes, however Ricky Little was only able to nod his header over the bar.

 

Centre-half Gregor Buchanan was seeing plenty of the ball at the back and causing plenty of problems with a myriad of long diagonal balls. Connor Shields got on the end of one after 16 minutes before being downed in the box by Jason Thomson, although the referee didn?t see enough of a foul to award a penalty.

 

Halfway through the opening period Queens had the games first real chance. A powerful run from Aidan Fitzpatrick allowed the tricky winger to deliver a low cross into the area, but Shields scooped his effort over the bar under a challenge from Tam O?Brien.

 

Shields has a great chance

 

After 32 minutes though Queens took the lead from the unlikeliest of sources. Another Buchanan diagonal was met by James Maxwell who took an exceptional first touch before firing an unstoppable shot high into the net, leaving Gaston with no chance.

 

Maxwell shoots and scores

Goal celebration

 

It was absolutely no less than Queens deserved and no less than young James Maxwell deserved, the Rangers-loanee having made an impressive start to his professional football career.

 

Queens continued to probe away at the Arbroath defence, although the hosts almost equalised on 41 minutes. A venomous effort from Scott Stewart tipped narrowly wide of the goal by Leighfield.

 

 

For the first time this season Queens went into the break with a lead.

 

However, the second-half lead was to only last three minutes as Queens were caught napping after 48 minutes. Bobby Linn found himself one-on-one against Leighfield after getting on the end of a Stewart ball through and made no mistake in pulling the hosts level.

Arbroath equalise

 

It did take Queens 10-15 minutes to get back into the game in the second-half, and had the bar to thank that they remained level. A cross into the area was headed high in the air by Ayo Obileye and seemed to take an age to drop to the unmarked Dale Hilson, but the ex-Queens man was unable to fire his shot on target, hitting the top of the bar.

 

There was no shortage of yellow cards at Gayfield though with David Lowe booking seven players in total.

 

Despite Queens seeing more of the ball it was the home side who looked more threatening going forward. Leighfield was really staking his claim for the number one jersey in Ferguson?s abscence, pulling off two exceptional saves, firstly from Hilson before following up by tipping a Little header wide of the post from the resulting corner.

 

75 minutes in Queens had a shout for a penalty. A mazy run from Dobbie ended in the Arbroath box, before the skipper went down in the area. The referee waved play-on despite the protests of the Queens players and management, while Dobbie was booked for simulation.

 

Little launches himself into back of Dobbie in the box yet Dobbie was booked for simulation

 

Jack Leighfield was called into action again on 86 minutes, again tipping a Hilson shot wide of the goal.

 

Both teams were committing men forward in the closing stages of the game, although neither ?keeper was troubled.

 

 

It was a real game of two halves at Gayfield today, with Queens? first-half dominance cancelled out by a good second-half performance from the hosts.

 

Queens take to Hampden Park in the final match of the Betfred Cup against Queens Park on Tuesday night.