Queen of the South 5 : East Fife 0 … match report

Q.O.S team: Robinson, Reid, Harris, McKenna, Lilley, Weatherstone, Burns, Conroy, Holmes, Johnston, McLaren.

East Fife: Brown, Muir, Durie, Sloan, Smart, Murdoch, Linn, Byrne, Hislop, Young, Johnstone.

On a perfect day for football 1751 turned up to watch this quarter final of the Alba Challenge cup.

Queens started this game the best, but it was East Fife who fired the first shot, but Craig Johnstone’s shot was blocked by a defender. Burns nearly got in on goal for Queens but a last ditch tackle prevented him from getting a shot in. Queens continued to press but a Harris cross was easily caught by Brown, before McLaren had a chance but a last minute tackle stopped him from getting through on goal.

Scott Durie got booked for a foul on Weatherstone, not a foul from where I was sitting. Lilley nearly got a his head to a corner but was under too much pressure by defenders. Ryan Conroy then sent away a good free kick but it was matched by a good save from Brown.

Then after 32 min Burns scored the first of many. Burns got fouled just before the half way line, which Sloan got booked for. Queens sent in a long free kick which was knocked on by Holmes and fell for Burns 6 yards out who blasted the ball into the net. 1-0 Queens.

Just after the goal I went to get a coffee and my wife took over writing. She thought Harris played a blinder and he’s really cute. Sure a few ladies would agree. Back to football and McKenna had a shot over the bar, as well as East Fife had a corner which Queens cleared up the pitch. McKenna then got booked for a foul just before half time.

The first half ebbed out with not much happening and Queen of the South went in at half time with a 1-0 lead. It was a close first half but Queens had enough of the play to deserve the lead.

The second half was only 2 min old when Burns added his and Queens second of the day. Conroy put in a good cross which was headed down by Holmes for Burns who got his feet all wrong and ball went away from him. But another cross came back in, this time Holmes chested it down for Burns who scored with a good shot from the edge of the box.

East Fife got their best chance shortly after after a cross went past Queens defence including a diving Robinson. It fell for an Fife attacker but the ball was a bit too long for him, and he waited just long enough to get a shot away for Robinson to get back and make a great save.

East Fife then got a free kick from 25 yards out but Robinson saved well and Harris cleared the ball out for a corner. East Fife made the first change of the day with Ovenstone coming on for Craig Johnstone.

It took only a few min for Ovenstone to leave his mark on the game, but unfortunately for him it was an own goal. Queens had a corner which was cleared but Conroy got ball on the flank and went down to by line, put in a hard cross which hit Ovenstone’s head and into the net for 3-0 Queens.

A series of changes inside a few min saw Carmichael coming on for Allan Johnstone, Scally on for Weatherstone. East Fife then put Cargill on for Sloan before McShane replaced McKenna.

Burns finished off his hat trick on with 10 min to go. After yet another good move for Queens Conroy passed the ball to Holmes inside the box, just to the side of goal. His shot went over keeper Brown and probably would have gone in, but Burns hungry for his hat trick poked it over the line. And then it was 4-0.

After that goal both teams slowed down and not very much happened until just before the end. Harris sent a wonderful free kick from just outside box into net, leaving Brown stranded.

The game finished 5-0 to Queens and it was a great display from a team on form. Queens have now won 4 in a row with a goal difference of 15-2. Long may it continue but next sat game away to Falkirk will be a very hard game!

Stig Nordkil (with help from Top Cat and Heather)