Queens made the long trip North for their rearranged league one match against Ross County. Manager Nicky Clark made one change to the starting eleven from Saturday as Ruari Ellis replaced Aaron David who dropped to the bench.

Queens had an early chance when Ross Docherty wiped out Liam Smith on the wing and as Zander MacKenzie floated in the free-kick, Ellis header was saved by Brad Foster.

However, within a minute County took the lead, as they pushed forward quickly, Adam Emslie crossed into the box and Chris Hamilton was in space to fire the ball past Deniz Mehmet. 

From the restart, The Staggies were again rapid on the attack and this time it was Lewis Strapp who played the ball from the left to Brian Graham on the right hand side of the box and the prolific striker rifled a shot into the net to give County a two goal lead with just eight minutes played.

They kept up the pressure and as Hamilton hit a free kick low from 25-yards, it took a deflection on the way through but Mehmet got down low to save at the base of his right hand post to push it out for a corner.

The chances were flowing and Emslie’s cross from the right was headed over by Hamilton from close range.  As Queens tried to break, Smith kept his cross low but it was blocked.  Taylor Charters then played a free-kick in from the left but again the hosts cleared.

A lot had already happened in the opening nineteen minutes and County were again quick on the counter as Graham started the move, he played it through for Emslie who in turn played it forward for Kieran Phillips, the offside flag was up when he curled a right foot shot off the outside of the post.

Midway through the half Mehmet pulled off a brilliant save to punch clear as Emslie’s strike was destined for the top corner. Emslie was a constant threat and as he got away from Caleb Goldie his cross into the box found Graham but he couldn’t connect properly and his header was off target. 

With half an hour gone, Charters tried a cross come shot but Foster collected easily.

Back at the other end, Strapp got away from Cole Coughlin who had switched sides and as he laid it back for Ross Docherty, he drilled a powerful shot low but the wrong side of the post. 

In the closing stages of the half, Hamilton picked up a booking as he made a challenge on Smith and from the free-kick, Connor Young was way too high with his shot.

It was better from Queens and with the final chance of the first half, Coughlin played the ball across the box but it was out of Young’s reach and then Mackenzie cleared the bar with his right foot effort.

It had been a tough half for the visitors as the home side sprayed the ball around the park with pace and were solid and hard to breakdown at the back.

HALF TIME: Ross County 2 Queens 0

Already two goals down the half time message would be keep it tight and make a positive start, that went out the window after just thirty-seconds when County hit on the counter using the pace of Emslie and as he raced down the left wing his cross into the six-yard box was missed by Graham but came back out to Hamilton who fired the ball high into the net for his second and County’s third.

With the game gone, Queens heads went too, they did win a free-kick but Young was again too high.  And then as Mackenzie pushed forward, he played in the striker but his shot was blocked, as the ball broke to Smith his effort was also blocked.

County looked like they could score at any point and when the ball was played against Goldie inside the box, referee Jordan Curran pointed to the spot.  Graham hit the penalty with power to covert and make it four.

Queens brought on Brodie Dair and Davis and within minutes the latter made a terrible pass back to Mehmet and Phillips nipped in to fire home number five.  Two minutes later, the goal-scorer turned provider as he delivered a cross from the right but substitute, Ricco Diack missed the chance to make it six as he kicked fresh air. 

The visitors were broken and as the home side piled on the pressure, Phillips fired the ball over the bar before knocking it round Mehmet, the keeper was beaten but Niall Rogerson managed to clear.  The chances were plentiful and as Connor Randall crossed, Chris McQueen cleared ahead of Phillips.

In a rare break up the park, Goldie played in a good ball that Coughlin knocked on for Rocco McColm but the youngest who was inside the six-yard box couldn’t take advantage.

Things went from bad to worse when the hosts scored another three goals in the final ten minutes.  Phillips was at the front post to get on the end of a cross from the left to beat Mehmet with a glancing header.  Sixty seconds later the ball was played in from the other side and this time Richard Chin beat the keeper with a spectacular volley to make it seven. And in the final minute Jamie Lindsay hooked the ball home from close range to make it eight.

In added on time, Coughlin had a shot deflected for a corner but Mackenzie’s inswinger was too high for Rogerson to get his head on the end of it.

FULL TIME: Ross County 8 Queens 0

Teams:

Ross County: Foster, Strapp (J Reid 67), Wright, L Reid, Randall, Graham (Diack 67), Phillips, Hamilton (Turner 57), McCarvel (Chin 57), Emslie & Docherty (Lindsay 57).  Subs not used: Wade, Forrester, Smith & Williamson.

Queens: Mehmet, Goldie, Charters, Smith (McColm 69), Mackenzie, Young (Gray 69), Want (McQueen 69), Johnstone (Dair 63), Rogerson, Coughlin & Ellis (Davis 63).  Subs not used: Petry & Kelly.

Ref: Jordan Curran

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