It was back to league business this afternoon as we took on East Fife at Bayview. After making changes for the KDM Evolution Trophy last weekend, it was a more familiar starting eleven with Ross Stewart, Matty Douglas, Liam Smith, Jack Stott and Kurtis Guthrie all returning to the side. Lawton Green, Ben Johnstone, Niall Rogerson, Euan Ross and Cole Burke were the players who made way and dropped to the bench.
Newly promoted the hosts have made a good start to life in league one and they showed their intentions early on when Tommy Goss fired a shot over from 35-yards after just three minutes. Queens hit back and two minutes later, Smith made a run through the middle before picking out Guthrie but the strikers effort was cleared for a throw in.
The home side looked up for it and as Michael McKenna played a free-kick into the box, Nathan Austin just couldnt get his head on it. They then won a corner as Ewan McLeods delivery from the right was headed clear by Mickey Hewitt, as the ball was played in by McKenna it was Guthrie this time who headed clear.
East Fife were on top and as they won yet another corner, Ross Stewart had to collect. Queens were struggling to get going but as Hewitts throw in was cleared by Goss, it fell to Stott at the edge of the box but his effort was too high.
Taylor Charters then burst forward from his own half and tried to find Benji Luissint as the ball fell behind it was knocked forward by Stott for Guthrie but the flag was up.
With twenty minutes gone Mamadou Bah crossed the ball from the right and although Goss got his head to it, he headed straight into the arms of Stewart. They continued the pressure and Jack Hannah had to make a block from Austin before McKenna picked up the loose ball and curled a right foot shot inches over the crossbar.
They did make the breakthrough midway through the half when McKenna played the ball in from the right for Goss at the back post and the Annan loanee headed past Stewart to open the scoring.
Just three minutes later, they had another chance when Austin crossed into the six-yard box but Hannah got there ahead of Goss at the front post.
As Queens huffed and puffed, Lyon found Guthrie at the near post with a cross from the right but the frontman knocked it wide. It was a better spell for Queens and Smith won a corner that Stott delivered only for the defense to clear.
On the half hour mark, Austin was in on goal but Douglas was there to put him off. Charters then sent Kennedy away down the left but as he crossed into the box the ball was beyond everyone in the box.
It hadnt been the best of halves for the visitors but they pulled themselves back into the game right on half time when Kennedy delivered a brilliant ball in from the wing which was met perfectly by Lyon who sent a powerful header past Ruairidh Adams.
HALF TIME: East Fife 1 Queens 1
Having levelled the game at the end of the first half, Queens were looking for much better after the break but within 49 seconds of the restart a mistake allowed Austin to get the ball ahead of Douglas to lift the ball over Stewart into the middle of the net to restore the home sides lead.
Not long after, the striker hit a right foot effort from outside the box just past the upright.
On the hour mark, Lyon also tried a shot from distance but his effort from 35-yards was taken by the keeper. Midway through the half, Kennedy dropped a free-kick into the box but Douglas headed over. Queens were trying but didnt really carry a threat although Hannah headed wide as Stott delivered.
Kennedys next free-kick was headed on by Guthrie but cleared before the forward was denied what looked like a strong claim for a penalty when he appeared to be kicked inside the box.
As the home side looked for a third, Goss played the ball across the face of goal but Rob Jones couldnt connect. And in the dying minutes of the game, Smith beat himself as he made his way into the box and Charters played a great ball into the box that was just out of reach of Hewitt.
Queens never got going and couldnt recover from the mountain they gave themselves to climb right at the start of the second half.
FULL TIME: East Fife 2 Queens 1