To paraphrase an infamous advertising slogan, Carlsberg don`t do football debuts in Edinburgh, but if they did, it would probably be the best football debut in Edinburgh in the World. Young Lewis Gibson is way ahead of schedule. Signed to his first professional contract in the summer, the 17 year old was looking to earn a regular spot on the bench and maybe get a few appearances on the pitch in his first season. Such has been his progress that appearances from the bench have been regular and, at the age of 17 years and 104 days old, his first start arrived yesterday at Meadowbank. He`s a quietly confident young man but you would have to assume that he sat in the dressing room yesterday pre-match wondering to himself what the day would bring and hoping he would be able to make a telling impact. Wow, did he make an impact! Within 10 minutes he`d won a penalty. Before half time he had opened the scoring, becoming one of the club`s youngest ever scorers in doing so. He was far from finished though, In the second half he helped himself to two assists and cleared a goalbound Edinburgh shot off the line too! Not bad young man, not bad. He fully merited the standing ovation when he left the pitch in the final minute. There could only be one choice for Man of the Match and it was lovely to see him celebrating with his younger brothers at full time.

All that said, this was far from a one man show and Queens had one of their better outings of the season right across the team. Changes were rung following last week`s poor display against Falkirk. Out went the injured East, along with Dave McKay, Lee Connelly, Ewan Bange and the manager himself. In came Rico Quitongo, Paul McKay, the returning Ian Wilson, who was made captain, Ruari Paton and of course young Lewis. The home side were able to include former Queens player Kyle Jacobs in the middle of the park but injury continues to keep another ex-Doonhamer Callum Tapping out of the line up.

It was the home side who almost seized the initiative straight from kickoff, forcing Max Currie into a hurried clearance which led to Danny Handling shooting a couple of feet over. However, Queens soon took control and won a penalty in the 10th minute when Crane and McIntyre dithered on a clearance and Gibson nipped in to steal the ball, only to be tripped by the latter. Unfortunately, the previously reliable Connor Murray had a moment to forget and skied the spot kick. To be fair to the team though, they didn`t let their heads go down and continued to control the play. Without creating too many clear opportunities in front of goal. Indeed, despite rarely venturing into the Queens half, it was Edinburgh who probably had the best effort of the half when Callum Crane shot across the face of goal. Both Harry Cochrane and Rico Quitongo picked up cheap yellow cards for pull backs on opponents before the break also. However, as half time approached the deadlock was broken. Ruari Paton should perhaps have done better with a close range shot in the final minute but the opener was not long delayed. As the half ticked into injury time and referee Barry Cook checked his watch, Cochrane, Wilson, Reilly and McKenna moved the ball across the face of the penalty area until it reached Lewis Gibson on the right touchline. The wing back cut inside and sent over a left footed cross which was aimed for Reilly in the middle who jumped but just failed to reach the ball. Neither did Ruari Paton at the back post manage to get there either. Neither needed to. As Robbie Mutch stood rooted waiting for the diversion that never came, the ball drifted just inside the post straight into the net. There was barely time to kick off. Half time 0-1.

The hosts switched top scorer John Robertson on for Ouzy See at half time but, boosted by the goal, Queens were in complete control and almost added a second when Paton made himself room for a left footed shot just inside the box and brought a fine low save out of Mutch. The second was not long delayed though. The resulting corner was not properly cleared and when Connor Murray laid the ball back to Gibson his absolute diamond of a curling cross was met by Ruari Paton, diving to head home at the back post despite a rugby challenge from Jack Brydon on him which would have undoubtedly seen a penalty and red card had Paton not scored anyway.

Edinburgh briefly threatened an immediate response when Jacobs of all people found space in the box at a corner kick to head onto the top of the crossbar but Queens soon settled back into control of the play again. Michael Ruth and Calvin McGrory replaced Reilly and Cochrane in the 66th minute and ten minutes after Lee Connelly replaced Connor Murray. It took the striker 5 minutes to rediscover his mojo and put the game to bed. He harrassed Jacobs into a misplaced pass straight to Gibson and, seeing his tem-mate make a burst into the box, Lewis passed the ball first time into his path. There was never much doubt where the ball was ending up and Mutch could do nothing to prevent it..

Gibson found time to block a goalbound effort from Jacobs which appeared to have beaten Currie before Quitongo sped over to block Innes Murray grabbing a late consolation. The final minute saw Dom McMahon and Ross Irving replace Paton and Gibson, the latter taking a well earned ovation and rest for his efforts.

This was a much improved performance from Queens and they will look to produce more of the same next weekend at Alloa.