Finally poised at one all after the first leg at home, Queens made the trip to Stenhousemuir aiming to reach the final of the Championship play-off. The manager made one change to the starting eleven from Tuesday evening with Callum Penman coming in for Zander Mackenzie who dropped to the bench.

Reece Lyon got the game underway but it was the hosts who got off to the best possible start when a free-kick was played in and Matty Aitken forced the ball past Ross Stewart with just five minutes played.

Three minutes later the ball was launched forward and with Darren Jamieson off his line, Brennan Dickenson hit a long effort towards the goal with his left foot but it missed the target. The striker had another chance a short time later but the keeper got down to collect his header.

As Stenhousemuir broke through Ross Taylor, Matty Douglas chased him down and put him under enough pressure to give Stewart the chance to gather. Sixty seconds later, Queens’ captain was back at the other end to hit a right foot shot from 30-yards but it was wide.

Liam Smith and Kai Kennedy then used their pace to combine and set-up Lyon but his shot lacked power and it was an easy take for Jamieson. Queens looked strong on the attack but nervous when they had to defend and mistakes started to creep in and Benji Luissint had to block from Michael Anderson.

Midway through the half, Jack Hannah headed over from Kennedy’s free-kick before they pulled level. Kai showed great skill as he controlled a long pass and then beat a couple of players before laying it off to Nicky Clark who drilled it low across Jamieson into the bottom corner.

As the hosts hit back, Stewart made a brilliant block with his feet from Oli Whyte. And in the final stages of the first half, Scott McGill blocked from Kennedy before the winger floated in a free-kick and Dickenson went for the header but it was over.

HALF TIME: Stenhousemuir 1 Queens 1

Four minutes after the restart, Taylor hit a right foot shot wide. Before Lyon attacked for Queens and as he headed towards the box he was crowded out.

As Kennedy played the ball to the edge of the penalty spot, Clark got his head on the end of it but headed high. Back at the other end, Taylor dragged a right foot shot the wrong side of the near post.

The game got a bit scrappy but in the final fifteen minutes the hosts stepped up and had the better chances. Taylor hit a right foot strike high and Stewart made a brilliant save from Aitken as he hit a powerful shot from outside the box. The striker then headed wide and Taylor’s low drive was collected by Stewart. Whyte then got away from Douglas as the defender slipped but Stewart came out to collect at his feet.

Neither side could find a winner and after 180 minutes the game moved into extra time.

FULL TIME: Stenhousemuir 1 Queens 1

Going into the extra half hour, Queens made a couple of changes but it was the hosts who had the better of the first half, Douglas put his body on the line to block from Aitken before Stewart punched clear the corner. Mackenzie then made a block but as the ball fell to Whyte he fired into the net to restore Stenhousemuir’s advantage.

EXTRA TIME: HALF TIME: Stenhousemuir 2 Queens 1

Queens stepped it up after the restart and as Mackenzie broke it came out to Kennedy on the right who played the ball into the centre but Clark couldn’t get enough on it. It was the visitors who had the better of the second period of extra time and with four minutes left, the ball fell to Clark seven yards out but he dragged it wide. But he did find the net a minute later when he kept it low to beat Jamieson to keep Queens in the tie.

EXTRA TIME: FULL TIME: Stenhousemuir 2 Queens 2

The two sides still couldn’t be separated after 210 minutes of football and it was down to penalties to decide who would face Alloa in the final after they’d beaten Airdrie 3-1 on aggregate.

Kurtis Guthrie was first up to face Jamieson and scored before Stewart guessed correctly but the ball went under him as Gregor Buchanan levelled. Kennedy scored his spot kick as he fired the ball under the bar to give Queens a 2-1 lead. Stewart then saved Aitken’s penalty before Jordan Allan kept it close to the post to beat Jamieson. Three-one up it was looking good for Queens but Dale Carrick reduced the deficit. Queens player of the year was next to step-up but as Lyon went to take his kick he slipped and blasted the ball high. Anderson then scored to pull Stenhousemuir level before Clark who had scored two during the game had his penalty saved handing the advantage to the home side and it was Whyte who scored to take Stenhousemuir into the final and end Queens season.

Stenhousemuir win 4-3 on penalties.