We were back on the road this weekend with a trip to Stenhousemuir for our latest league one encounter. After picking up a knee injury in last weeks win over Peterhead, Benji Luissint wasnt available and Ben Johnstone took his place in the starting eleven in the one change to the side.
It was the hosts who made the better start to the game and in the opening five minutes, Ross Taylor played in a corner that was headed on by Gregor Buchanan but Jack Hannah cleared as Dale Carrick tried to steer the ball past Ross Stewart from close range.
Two minutes later, Kai Kennedy raced down the left-hand side but his cross come shot missed the top corner.
As the home side hit again, Scott McGill linked up with Taylor to set up another chance for Carrick but this time Stewart collected the ball from the strikers feet. McGill then tried a left foot shot from distance that was just wide of the keepers left-hand post. And with quarter of an hour gone, Taylor hit his left foot effort over the bar.
Queens started to come more into the game and Jack Stott played the ball wide to Reece Lyon who in turn played it back across the six-yard area from the left to find Stott who had continued his run but the defense cleared before the midfielder could have a shot.
Pushing forward again, Taylor Charters crossed a great ball for Kurtis Guthrie at the far post but his header was just wide. Midway through the half, the striker hit a right foot effort low but wide.
And at the other end, McGill wasnt far away with a right foot shot that cleared the bar.
The game was flowing from end to end and in Queens next move, Liam Smith crossed from the right-hand side for Lyon inside the box but Darren Jamieson did well to block. It was a decent spell for the visitors and as Kennedy played a short corner to Smith the winger laid the ball back to Stott whose right foot strike was just inches over the crossbar. Lyon was then the wrong side of the post with his shot.
Nine minutes before the break Buchanan got on the end of a free-kick and headed the ball off the post but the whistle had blown anyway. And within a minute Queens thought they had opened the scoring when Guthrie beat Jamieson with a header but referee Dan McFarlane awarded a free-kick for a foul on the keeper.
Heading for the interval Lyon set up a chance for Matty Douglas that was blocked but as the ball fell to Hannah, he hit it on the turn but was wide of the upright. And on the stroke of half-time, Stewart made a great save to stop Taylors header at the post.
HALF TIME: Stenhousemuir 0 Queens 0
Like the first half, Queens made a slow start after the break and it was the home side who were on top. Carrick couldnt connect with the ball as it flashed across goal before Stewart made a save from Oliver Whyte as he headed towards the target and just sixty seconds later the keeper was back in action when he made a save to stop Euan OReillys header. The stopper was busy and kept his side level when he came out to collect at the feet of Taylor.
Hannah and Douglas both headed clear before Ross Meechan fired well over.
As Queens started to find their feet again, Archie Graham made a block from Guthrie as he got on the end of a Kennedy cross. But it was the home side who came again and OReillys free-kick into the box was headed wide by Matthew Aitken.
It was the visitors who finished strongest and as Smith played the ball into the middle, substitute Freddie ODonoghue misjudged the deliver and didnt connect before Stott fired over.
With ten minutes remaining, Stott had another chance but he just cleared the crossbar from outside the box. In the closing stages, Mikey Hewitt knocked the ball back for Guthrie but his header was weak and an easy take for Jamieson. And with the final chance of the game Kennedys free-kick into the box was headed into the arms of the keeper by Douglas.
FULL TIME: Stenhousemuir 0 Queens 0