The Sunday Post (Newcastle)

Queen’s young guns seal win

- By Craig Stewart SPORT@SUNDAYPOST.COM

QUEEN’S PARK 2 Murray (pen 45, 64) COVE RANGERS 1 McIntosh (65)

Queen’s Park head coach Owen Coyle reckons there is still work to be done by his side despite the Spiders clinching their third successive Championsh­ip win with a 2-1 success over Cove Rangers at Ochilview.

A double from Simon Murray had the Black and Whites in control. But a Leighton McIntosh goal gave the Aberdeen men a route back into the game, to leave Coyle saying: “We were worth the win but we made it hard our ourselves in the last 25 minutes.

“We are the youngest team in the Championsh­ip and a lot of boys have not played at this level before so they are on a huge learning curve.

“There is still work to be done as it would be great to enjoy a game out by holding on to a two-goal lead. But I am pleased with how we played overall and the chances we created.”

Murray saw a powerful effort pushed out by Kyle Gourlay after just three minutes with Cove’s Fraser Fyvie having a header scooped up by Calum Ferrie five minutes later.

The visitors went close from two set-pieces with Morgyn Neill’s goal-bound header deflected over, with the defender denied by a goal-line clearance from Murray on 25 minutes when he met a corner from Charlie Gilmour.

The Spiders came within inches of a goal on 32 minutes when Dom Thomas sent over a cross that hit the far post before striking Murray and dropping wide.

As Queen’s continued to probe, Gourlay produced a fine double save as he blocked a Murray effort and then palmed over a Scott Williamson drive.

The hosts broke the deadlock from the penalty spot a minute from the break when referee Willie Collum penalised Connor Scully for blocking a Williamson cross with his arm.

Murray picked his spot and sent the ball flashing past Gourlay.

Queen’s lead was doubled on 64 minutes when Murray picked up on a wayward pass from Fyvie and skipped past Mark Reynolds before drilling a low shot past Gourlay.

A minute later Vigurs dinked a pass into the home box for McIntosh to find the far corner from seven yards.

Queen’s looked to establish a two-goal lead again with a fine passing move seeing Jack Thomson allowed to run clear. But Gourlay saved the midfielder’s effort with his legs.

Cove were denied a point in injury time when Ferrie kept out a low shot from Robbie Leitch to leave their manager Jim McIntyre saying: “I asked for a reaction from the players after a poor performanc­e against Ayr last weekend and I got that. We created opportunit­ies and so did they.”

“They were just that bit better than us in the box and the penalty was a sore one.”

QUEEN’S PK:

(4-4-2) Ferrie 7, Davidson 7 (Bannon 90+4, 1), Kilday 6, Eze 7, Robson 7; Savoury 6, Thomson 7, Boateng 7, Thomas 7; Williamson 6 (Kenny 73, 4) Simon Murray 8 (McPake 81, 3). Unused subs – Naismith, Brown, Longridge, Moore, Heraghty, Jarrett. COVE R:

(4-1-4-1) Gourlay 8; Logan 7, Neill 6, Reynolds 6, Scully 6; Gilmour 7; Longstaff 5, Vigurs 6, Fyvie 7, Dunne 6; McDonagh 5 (McIntosh 46, 6). Unused subs – McKenzie, Thomas, Leitch.

 ?? ?? Simon Murray beats Cove keeper Kyle Gourlay from the spot
Simon Murray beats Cove keeper Kyle Gourlay from the spot

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