It was all or nothing as we headed to Cove Rangers for the second leg of our Championship semi-final playoff. With everyone coming through the first game okay, Manager Peter Murphy went with the same starting eleven as Tuesday evening.
With three minutes played Harry Cochrane hit a left foot shot from 20-yards that was just wide of the keepers right-hand post. But it was the home side who took an early advantage when Findlay Marshall and Mitch Megginson were crowded out and as Matty Douglas tried to dribble the ball clear it all got a bit clumsy and Cochrane made a challenge inside the box that gave referee Calum Scott a decision to make. He decided it was a penalty and as Megginson stepped up, Ross Stewart guessed the correct way but the striker hit the ball high into the net well out of reach.
The goal gave the home side the urgency and as they took hold of the game, Jack Hannah cleared before Oscar MacIntyre blocked from Arron Darge for a corner.
Queens were defending more than getting forward and Hannah stopped a Declan Glass effort before Matty Douglas headed away the corner.
When Queens tried to break, Reece Lyon was taken out the game with both Blair Yule and Dylan Lobban picking up bookings for challenges on the midfielder. Midway through the half Adam Brooks tried a shot from outside the box but Michael Doyle turned it out for a corner. As Kai Kennedy delivered, Douglas headed it on, as it dropped Lyon won another corner. This time the in-swinging delivery to the back-post found Hannah but he headed wide.
The visitors were struggling to get a foothold in the game and Megginson hit a left foot shot low but wide of the target. A minute later, with the final chance of the first half, Jordan Allan put pressure on Doyle to win a throw in, Douglas threw it into the area but Yule cleared.
HALF TIME: Cove Rangers 1 Queens 0
Within 98 seconds of the restart, Cove doubled their lead. As Yule shot, Douglas attempted to clear off the line, Mikey Hewitt tired a second clearance but could only hit it up and it crossed the line. To make things worse, captain Douglas fell awkwardly and had to leave the field with a broken wrist.
The home side were in control and Marshall had a shot saved by Stewart but as Queens broke Allan fired towards goal and Benji Luissint who had replaced the injured Douglas finished from close-range only for the assistant to raise his flag.
Marshall hit a 20-yard effort but it was an easy take by Stewart before Queens started to rally. Allan hit a shot that the keeper managed to block but as it spun over the top of him, Doyle was there to clear it off the line.
Into the final quarter and Kennedy played a long ball over the top for Fraser Bryden but he headed wide. With Queens now really pushing, Hannah tried to break but lost it and Adam Emslie was through with Luissint chasing. He managed to hit the shot but Stewart made a great save to tip it over.
Queens did pull one back in the 77th minute. A free-kick inside the Cove half was knocked out to Kennedy by Stewart and from 25-yards out the winger hit a wonder strike with his right foot that flew past Nick Suman. It was now game on and MacIntyre made his way to the by-line but as he crossed into the box Suman collected.
With ten minutes of normal time remaining, Liam Smith was surrounded but somehow managed a shot from just inside the box, but he couldnt get enough on it to make the target and it was wide of the upright.
It was all Queens now and four minutes later, Suman made an unbelievable save to deny Allan.
In the closing stages, the ball fell to Allan but it was cleared and as Kennedy made his way into the box the keeper collected. Deep into stoppage time as Queens had everyone forward, Stewart was up in the opposition box trying to get on the end of a corner, he almost did but as Suman gathered, he launched a clearance towards the open goal, it was on target but took a bounce at the edge of the six-yard box and cleared the crossbar.
It was a gallant effort by Queens in the final 25 minutes but it wasnt to be and the 2024/25 campaign came to an end as they suffered their first defeat in ten games with Cove progressing to face Airdrie in the final.
FULL TIME: Cove Rangers 2 Queens 1