Montrose were the visitors to Palmerston as we rounded off the second quarter and reached the half way point of the season. With Jack Stott suspended he was one of five changes to the side that faced Dunfermline in the cup in midweek. Mikey Hewitt, Ben Johnstone, Niall Rogerson and Kian Leslie were the others who dropped out and on to the bench. Coming back into the starting eleven were Matty Douglas, Kai Kennedy, Benji Luissint, Brennan Dickenson and Zander Mackenzie.
It was the visitors who had the first shot, when Graham Webster got a sight of goal after two minutes but his effort was rising and ended up over the bar.
Five minutes later, Kennedy played a good ball in from the right but as Kurtis Guthrie attacked, he gave away a foul. There wasnt much between the teams and as it moved from end-to-end Aidan Quinn headed wide at the back-post for the visitors before Jack Hannah went on a run only to be brought down but no free-kick given. Kennedy then hit a shot from 19-yards but he was just off target.
With eighteen minutes gone, Ross Stewart made a good stop with his foot to deny Webster as he aimed for the bottom corner with a low drive from 12-yards.
And midway through the half, Webster was in again when Lewis Gibson set up a chance but his effort didnt cause any real threat.
Just after the half hour mark, Kennedy crossed but it had too much power behind it and Guthrie couldnt control it. Guthrie was back in five minutes later but his attempt was cleared, Dickenson was further along the six-yard box but it didnt fall for him and Andrew Steeves cleared.
As we headed for the break, Kennedy caught it on the volley but he was stretching and couldnt get enough on it to direct it towards goal. Queens were quickly on the move again and this time it was Guthrie who was at full stretch as he tried to get on the end of a wonderful delivery from Liam Smith out on the wing and it remained goal-less at the interval.
HALF TIME: Queens 0 Montrose 0
As the second half got underway, Queens increased the tempo and just three minutes after the restart they were ahead. Dickenson started the move in the middle of the park with a brilliant pass for Kennedy, the winger played it to Smith on the left and as he made his way to the edge of the area, he picked out Hewitt who had made the run into the middle to smash the ball past Cameron Gill. Some great build up play, rewarded with an excellent finish.
Queens had been unplayable since the break and as Smith sold his marker a dummy, he played the ball out for Reece Lyon who kept the ball low but was just the wrong side of the upright.
Two minutes later, Lyon showed some skill with a ball to Kennedy, he ran at them before playing it to Smith. In turn he found Taylor Charters who skipped his way into the box but just couldnt get his final shot away. And as they kept up the pressure, Kennedy weaved his way past a few players before he was stopped with a good challenge inside the box.
Montrose were toiling and Gibson picked up a booking as he pulled back Charters to halt his break.
With an hour on the clock, Smith held off the challenge to get the ball in for Dickenson, as he tried to sweep it into the net, he hit the side netting instead. And midway through the half, Luissint skied his effort well over the bar.
The intensity of attack had relented slightly but some more good play by Queens saw Dickensons left foot effort deflected for a corner. It had been excellent from the hosts since the break but in a breakaway, Terry Masson had a chance but he fired just over.
Ten minutes from time, Dickenson was through the middle but Gill saved. Smith kept the attack alive but there was no one in the middle to take advantage. And minutes later Dickenson skipped a challenge and kept hold of the ball after another but as he had a shot, the ball took a deflection for a corner.
Freddie ODonoghue did well on the right and cut inside but as he laid it off for Smith, the winger who had been electric scuffed his shot.
On ninety minutes, Charters went on another run and played it in for Dickenson but his touch was too heavy. He did follow through and catch it on the by-line but the keeper blocked at the front post. Gill then blocked from Kennedy for a corner.
The final chance fell to the visitors, but Kyle McClements passed up a good opportunity from close range.
FULL TIME: Queens 1 Montrose 0