Queen of the South 1
Arbroath 2
Scottish Challenge Cup (Fourth Round)

Match Report

With Kyle McClelland out injured after pulling a hamstring against Stirling Albion and others still missing through injury as well as Alex Ferguson and Oscar MacIntyre being cup tied, Manager Marvin Bartley made six changes to the side that faced Arbroath in the fourth round of the SPFL Trust Trophy. The other players dropping to the bench for this one were Ben Johnstone, Harvey Walker, Jake Hutchinson, and Cammy Logan. In their absence it meant starts for Jordan Houston, Paul McKay, Josh Todd, Efe Ambrose, Kyle Doherty and Lewis Gibson.

Up against a Championship side and on a bad run of form in the league, the cup tie was a chance for Queens to restore some confidence and with a positive start they did just that when they took the lead eleven minutes in. Doherty who had missed a chunk of the season so far through injury was energetic and looked a real danger, he did really well to win the ball before cutting inside to hit a right foot shot from outside the box into the bottom corner.

The home side were the better side and limited the visitors to very little, Michael McKenna did hit a free kick, but it was well wide of the upright and no danger to Gordon Botterill.

Midway through the first half, Todd hit a superb pass through to Kieran McKechnie who played a great delivery to the back post for Doherty, his header was cleared but only as far as Gibson and the youngsters low drive was just wide of the near post.

Doherty then hit a defence splitting pass to set up Todd but as he made his way into the box, he tried to turn to get a better shot and the chance was closed down.

Well on top and with just over half an hour gone, McKechnie skipped a challenge by McKenna to get himself into the danger area, he laid it back to Gibson who tried to curl it into the top right corner but couldn't get enough spin on it and it flew wide.

A minute later McKechnie was involved again, this time slipping it wide to Doherty at the edge of the area, however, his ball across goal was wide.

Queens could've and should?ve been further ahead but as they continued to look for that second goal, after good play by Todd and Doherty, Harry Cochrane twisted and turned to hit a shot from 30-yards but just couldn't get it on target.

In a rare attempt on goal from Arbroath, McKay made a well-timed challenge in the box to avert danger before Tam O'Brien headed wide of the upright from a corner.

Eight minutes from half time, Doherty played it wide to Gibson who tried to chip the ball over keeper Alasdair Adams, but it was just too high and landed on the roof of the net instead. Minutes later McKechnie burst in from the right, but his shot was deflected for a corner.

Going in at the break, Queens held a one-nil lead, but no one could've have argued if that had been a lot further ahead.

HALF TIME: Queens 1 Arbroath 0

The Doonhamers started the second half the way they'd been playing, and Gibson picked out McKechnie on the left but the wee forward had strayed offside. Five minutes after the break, McKechnie played a first-time ball in from the right but no one could get on the end of it.

A minute later, McKay who was playing a more forward role than normal, won the ball in his own half before going on a run, he played it wide to McKechnie before continuing his run into the box and was unlucky not to connect when the ball came back in.

The game took a turn on 53 minutes when the visitors equalised. Caught out by the sun on the touchline, Jack Brydon missed the ball, and it allowed them to get the ball across from the right wing to Jay Bird who slotted the ball past Botterill.

It gave Dick Campbell's side a lift and on the hour mark, McKay was booked for a push on McKenna from the resulting free-kick, goal-scorer Bird hit the ball off the wall.

Midway through the second half, Todd did well to win a corner, Gibson delivered to McKechnie, but his left foot effort was wide.

Craig Slater then hit a shot from distance for the visitors, but it cleared the bar.

And as time ticked down, Cochrane played a good ball wide to McKechnie who played it back into the six-yard box to Hutchinson, but the big striker headed over.

With three minutes of normal time remaining, it looked like Queens had sealed their place in the next round when Hutchinson squared the ball to McKechnie in the middle of the six-yard box, but although he looked odds on to score, he hit his shot straight at Adams.

And just as the game looked like it would be settled on penalties, Queens were hit with a sucker punch right on 90 minutes. Arbroath held the board up to make a change and with McKenna off the park making his way round, they changed their mind and brought him back into play for a set piece, as the ball broke to him 20-yards out, the midfielder cracked a stunning shot past Botterill to win the game for the Red Lichties.

FULL TIME: Queens 1 Arbroath 2

Match report written by Queen of the South Official Website