Queens made the trip to Arbroath to take on the championship side in the last 32 of the KDM Evolution Trophy.  After six games in the league phase of the tournament, this was the first knockout round, manager Nicky Clark made three changes to the starting eleven from the side that took to the field against East Fife at the weekend.  Liam Smith returned after his suspension and there was a long-awaited return to the defence for Jack Hannah after his lengthy lay-off with a knee injury, Taylor Charters also returned to the backline. They came in for Niall Rogerson who was nursing an ankle injury and Jack Stott and the Gaffer who both dropped onto the bench.

It was a decent start to the game by Queens as they had more of the attacking play and Charter played in a corner that was knocked away.  But as the home side grew into the game, they hit on the break through Ryan Flynn but Ryan Dow was offside as he received the pass. Scott Stewart then got on the end of a corner but hooked the ball over the bar.

Some great skill by Smith created a break and as he linked up with Cole Coughlin the hosts cleared as the young American looked to get the ball to Connor Young. Sixty seconds later, Zander Mackenzie played a dangerous free-kick into the back-post area but the ball was cleared for a corner as Coughlin attacked.

With twenty minutes played Jacob MacIntyre switched the ball across the park to Stewart on the right but as he cut inside, Deniz Mehmet got down to smoother the ball before he could shoot. Midway through the half Dow played a free-kick into the box but Benji Luissint blocked from Charlie Dewar.

Mehmet was then called upon again as he made a good save from Andy Winter who had headed towards goal.

Stewart was a threat on the right and with half an hour on the clock, he looked to create an opening but Queens defended well to cut out Dow and Dewar.  As Queens moved the ball back up the other end of the park, Smith played a decent ball over the top but it was just too far ahead of Young.

The game was fairly even with both sides looking to break the deadlock and MacIntyre had two attempts for the home side blocked.  As he won his side a corner, the ball was played in to Scott Constable who got the shot away but Mehmet got his body behind it to steer it round the post.

Three minutes later Queens won a corner of their own, it was played in by Charters and cleared but fell for Mackenzie inside the box but his shot was blocked at close range.

In the final five minutes of the first half, the visitors were pushing and the two Zander’s, Mackenzie and Hutton were involved along with Luissint but they couldn’t find a way through.

HALF TIME: Arbroath 0 Queens 0

After a goal-less first half, Mackenzie got the second half underway but it was the home side who had the first chance but Dow’s cross was headed away by Ruari Ellis who had replaced Hannah at the break.

Queens soon found their feet again and Coughlin did well to win the ball and moved out wide before hitting a low shot that Aidan McAdams got down to collect.

Back up the park, Charters made a block from Macintyre at the edge of the area and as Queens headed back towards the home box a good ball into the area was met by Shaun Want but his right foot effort was too high.  A minute later, Caleb Goldie’s cross from the right was too close to McAdams.  And as the visitors tried again, Young played the ball into to Coughlin who knocked it on for Smith who in turn found Luissint but his shot was blocked.

Just after the hour mark, Goldie made a great run before switching the ball to the opposite side for Young but under pressure he couldn’t get the ball back into the box.

Arbroath looked to their bench and brought on former Queens frontman, Gavin Reilly. Two minutes after coming off the bench he played a good ball in from the left but Winter couldn’t connect with it as he went to meet it at the front post.

Goldie then made a good block as Dow looked to cross before the home side were handed a controversial penalty.  As Winter made his way into the box, Mehmet came out and the number nine went down. Referee Lewis Hogarth pointed to the spot but Queens players were furious as the near side assistant had initially flagged for a corner but changed his mind. Their protests were unheard and after a delay Reilly stepped up to take the spot kick.  Mehmet guessed correctly and dived to his right but Reilly’s right foot shot made its way into the net under the keeper.

Upset by the decision, Queens went on the attack and Young hit a right foot shot from outside the box but hit it wide.  On the break Reilly fired a left foot shot from the middle of the box that also ended up wide.

Into the final ten minutes and Mackenzie’s free-kick delivery was headed clear. They kept up the pressure but just couldn’t find a clear opening in the final third. As the home side looked to wrap it up Winter caught it with his right boot but Queens cleared. 

The last chance of the game came right on the full-time whistle when substitute Clark got on the end of a cross from the right and his header looked destined for the bottom corner before McAdams got down to save at his right-hand side.

Queens had put up a good fight against the team from the league above but the tie was settled by Reilly’s penalty midway through the second half and the Palmerston side’s run in the KDM Trophy came to an end.

FULL TIME: Arbroath 1 Queens 0

Teams:

Arbroath: McAdams, Paterson, Flynn (Reilly 62), Winter, Dow (Magennis 78), Stewart, Watson, Reid, Constable, Dewar & Macintyre.  Subs not used: Pettigrew, Hamilton, O’Brien, Gold & McKenna.

Queens: Mehmet, Goldie (Clark 80), Charters, Hannah (Ellis 46), Smith, MacKenzie, Young, Want, Coughlin (Dair 63), Luissint (Stott 80) & Hutton.  Subs not used: Petry, Gray & McColm.

Ref: Lewis Hogarth

Crowd: 311