Queen’s Park 6 Kelty Hearts 0

Will Tizzard was unavailable after picking up an injury during Tuesday night’s 5-0 win over Elgin City with Zach Mauchin coming in as his replacement as he did in midweek.

New recruited Nikola Ujdur was on the bench alongside Birthday Boy Lewis Reid who was back after missing out against the Borough Briggs side.

The first ever Kelty side that Queen’s Park have played against had some familiar faces with Brody Paterson, Liam Brown and Lewis Moore lining up against their former club along with Thomas O’Ware who was the coach of the hosts’ B squad for a large part of last season.

Queen’s kicked the game off and almost started with a bang as Jack Thomson pinged a pass wide to Louis Longridge who crossed into the box for Roddy MacGregor who just could not get enough purchase on his volley.

Another chance came on three minutes as Dom Thomas released Zak Rudden who ran towards goal before seeing his shot deflected wide.

A minute later the hosts were given a great chance to take the lead as MacGregor was flattened by Kelty goalkeeper Ruaridh Adams and referee MacDermid pointed to the spot.

After a lengthy period of treatment for MacGregor, Thomas stepped up however his spot-kick cleared the bar and the score remained blank.

Captain Thomas shrugged off that miss and burst through on the Fifers’ goal shortly afterwards with his parting shot pushed past by Adams.

Another opening came and went on nine minutes when a lovely dinked pass from Sean Welsh picked out Louis Longridge but again Adams saved at the expense of a corner.

On 11 minutes THOMAS more than made up for his earlier error as he picked the ball up 40 yards out and headed for goal. The number 11 used Rudden’s run as a decoy to create space for himself at the edge of the box before advancing a further six yards and firing into the far corner.

MacGregor got on the end of another Longridge cross on 17 minutes however this time his header went over.
Midway through the half QP carved out another opening as Rudden ignored visiting appeals for offside to run free on the right wing before cutting a pass back to Thomas who swept a shot inches wide.

Kelty threated for the first time on 28 minutes when Murray Millar drilled towards Calum Ferrie’s goal from the edge of the box with the ball whistling just wide.

The play switched to the other end and Turner sent over a cross for MacGregor who brought out a fine one handed save from Adams who pushed away his fierce header with Cammy Kerr out of luck as he tried an overhead kick with the loose ball.

A second goal arrived on 32 minutes when Thomas curled over a corner from the left and WELSH rose highest to nod home from eight yards.

Thomas went off on another darting run two minutes later and after skipping past O’Ware he cut back onto his left foot however Adams scrambled his shot past with the shot-stopper doing well again on 36 minutes when he scooped up a dangerous Thomas cross.

It was 3-0 three minutes from the break when a nice bout of neat passing opened up a route to goal for Rudden and when his shot was saved MacGREGOR was on hand to knock in his fourth goal of the season.

Half time – Queen’s Park 3 Kelty Hearts 0

Queen’s started the second half quickly as well with Thomas getting to the touchline and crossing however there were no takers.

Kelty broke up the park on 51 minutes and Ferrie had to move smartly to cut out a dangerous low pass from Robert Cole.

The Black and Whites were soon back in attack with Kerr charging forward from his own half and looking to tee up Thomas who was crowded out however the ball fell to Kerr who tried a curler that Adams was equal to.

Rudden was next to go on his travels towards the Kelty goal with the striker breaking through only to see his chipped effort saved by Adams.

The striker was out of luck again on 57 minutes as he had a shot blocked and looked to be tripped as he chased the ball however no spot-kick was given.

The ball remained deep in Hearts’ territory and fell to TURNER who lashed it high into the net from 20 yards.

Four became five four minutes later when MacGREGOR was handily placed to slide home after the unfortunate Rudden had seen a volley blocked by the foot of Adams.

Thomas was denied his second of the afternoon when Adams pushed his side-footed effort wide on 67 minutes.

With quarter of an hour remaining Thomas pinged a 50-yard pass to substitute Liam McLeish who tried to take it around Adams however the shot-stopper was able to stick out a boot and concede a corner.

The game restarted with a dropped ball at Ferrie’s feet on 82 minutes after referee McDiarmid apologised for blowing his whistle for a ‘phantom’ foul.

Turner was fouled 25 yards from the visitors’ goal with five minutes left and Thomas rolled the resultant free-kick into the path of Thomson who cracked a first-time drive over the bar.

Welsh did likewise with a minute left and before the game restarted Magnus Mackenzie was brought on for his debut with Josh Scott making way.

In injury time Hinds crossed from the right and after it looked like McLeish was shoved to the ground TURNER volleyed low past Adams to make it six for the Spiders who qualify for the nest stage as the best runners-up.

Queen’s Park – Calum Ferrie, Zach Mauchin, Jack Thomson, Cammy Kerr, Louis Longridge (Josh Hinds 70), Sean Welsh, Jack Turner, Roddy MacGregor, Josh Scott (Magnus Mackenzie 89), Dom Thomas (Tyrece McDonnell 85), Zak Rudden (Liam McLeish 70).
Unused substitutes – Jack Wills (G/k), Nikolay Ujdur, Lewis Reid, Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, Michael Collie.

Kelty Hearts – Ruairidh Adams, Brody Paterson, Thomas O’Ware, Callum Flatman, Scott Allan, Liam Brown (Lewis Owens 62), Craig Johnston (Ross Cunningham 65), Murray Miller, Murray Thomas, Luke McCarvel (Robert Cole 16), Lewis Moore
Unused substitutes – Ryan Adamson (G/k), Billy Owens, Riley Welsh

Referee – Matthew MacDermid