It was back to league business this weekend as we welcomed Peterhead to Palmerston. Having made changes for the East Kilbride cup tie in midweek, manager Peter Murphy made sweeping changes to the starting eleven with Jack Hannah and Reece Lyon returning from injury they came back into the side along with Callum Penman, Kai Kennedy, Taylor Charters and Benji Luissint. They replaced the trialist from Tuesday night who was no longer in the squad, Mikey Hewitt, Ben Johnstone, Euan Ross, Niall Rogerson and Freddie ODonoghue who all dropped to the bench.
It was a slow start to the game as neither side really got going and ten minutes in there was a lengthy delay as Jason Brown suffered a head knock and left the field on a stretcher. Once the game restarted Kurtis Guthrie wasnt too far away from opening the scoring but his header was cleared for a corner.
Ten minutes later, the big striker had another opportunity when Liam Smith played the ball through for him, but his shot across goal was wide.
Charters then went on a run from almost his own half before playing it to Guthrie, as he laid it back to Luissint, his shot lacked power and was easily blocked. It was still in and around the 18-yard area and the danger ended when Jack Newman saved from Smith.
The deadlock was broken four minutes later when Kennedy delivered a cross from the left and Guthrie was at the back-post to head home from very close range.
Lyon then had a left foot shot but it was rising and off target before Smith raced down the right and cut the ball back to Jack Stott who had a shot blocked. As the ball fell to Luissint he played it wide instead of taking on a shot himself.
Queens looked to have doubled the advantage when Stott floated in a corner that was headed on by Hannah for Guthrie, the frontmans header was on target and heading for the net only for former Queens player Craig McGuffie to head it off the line.
HALF TIME: Queens 1 Peterhead 0
After two disappointing results there was a point to prove and Queens started the second half on the front foot. Just ninety seconds in Penman crossed from the right and Luissint was there to sweep the ball into the net to give the home side a two-goal cushion.
Fired up and looking hungry for more, minutes later Smith got on the end of a good pass by Lyon but the wingers effort hit the side netting. They did find the net again sixty seconds later when Kennedy robbed the ball from David Wilson and some tricky footwork created an opening for him to slot the ball under the keeper to make it three just six minutes after the break.
The visitors were on the back foot but did win a free-kick 20 -yards out, McGuffie curled the ball over the wall but it was too high and cleared the crossbar.
Smith then tried to find Guthrie but Caleb Goldie was on hand to clear. Kennedy then showed more good footwork but this time as he fired the ball across goal, he couldnt get enough curl on it and it flew wide.
With just over an hour played Ross Stewart was called upon to save from Kieran Shanks. As the ball was cleared, Smith made a break, he had Kennedy in support but he was halted at the edge of the box before he could make the pass.
Two minutes later, Lyon played the ball along the line to Kennedy, the winger hit it on the turn but wide of the upright. Queens were on top and Stott and Luissint had a couple of chance before midway through the half, Smith cut back inside to hit a left foot effort that the keeper pushed out for a corner.
With seventy minutes on the clock, the lead was extended when Lyon knocked the ball across the box for Charters who had made the run to fire the ball into the bottom corner.
Peterhead plodded away and as Stewart made a save, they won a corner. As Niall McGinn played it into the box, referee Sean Murdoch pointed to the spot for a push by Hannah. Queens held up play by making a couple of substitutions and by the time Shanks took the penalty, he blasted it well over.
In the closing stages of the game, Stewart got down to his right to punch clear McGinns shot before Kennedy was taken out at the other end and his resulting free-kick took a deflection over the bar. Stott played in the corner but Matty Douglas fired the ball wide of goal.
With the final move of the game ODonoghues cross into the box was cleared by Cameron Smith only as far as Johnstone who kept the ball low but Newman saved.
FULL TIME: Queens 4 Peterhead 0