Match Report

Saturday, 6th January, 2024

www.qosfc.com

QOS lose to League leaders

There were four changes to the side that faced Annan last week for our trip to Falkirk. Gavin Reilly and Daniel Church both miss out through injury while Kyle Doherty and Kieran McKechnie drop to the bench. Their places are taken by Kyle McClelland who returns from suspension, Paul McKay who is back from injury, Jacob Hutchinson, and Lewis Gibson.

Chances for either side were limited in the opening ten minutes although the league leaders had more of the ball. Calum Morrison tried to cross from the right, but Efe Ambrose who signed on until the end of the season during the week, headed clear.

Harry Stone then punched the ball away from Brad Spencer before Morrison again created an opening when he fired the ball across the face of goal.

Queens were defending well and midway through the half made a break, Gibson took a touch to take the ball away from Liam Henderson but his cross into the box was an easy catch for Sam Long.

It was the home side who were still controlling the ball and Coll Donaldson hit a left foot shot low but wide. And on the half hour mark a cross into the box was missed by Ross MacIver at the back post.

Two minutes later Aidan Nesbitt was in space, but his shot was well off target. Morrison was closer with a low shot from inside the 18-yard box, but Stone got down to collect.

And the home side passed up a good opportunity four minutes before the break when a short pass was intercepted by Calvin Miller and as he fired across goal Henderson couldn't connect.

Queens hadn't troubled Long in the home goal but were defending well and keeping the home side at bay.

HALF TIME: Falkirk 0 Queens 0

However, it only took 35 seconds of the second half for the hosts to take the lead. As the ball came in from the left when Gibson got caught out, Ambrose slipped as he tried to clear, and Nesbitt pounced to fire the ball across Stone into the bottom corner.

The former Morton man was in again minutes later, but this time Stone used his legs to block from close range.

As Queens looked to get back into the game, Gibson tried a shot from distance that just cleared the bar. The long goal kick by Long allowed Morrison to burst into the box but his shot was straight at Stone.

The home side looked to add to their tally and as Miller cut inside, he cleared the crossbar with a left foot shot. Before he hit it just wide of the upright.

McClelland found himself forward and as he crossed in from the wing for Connelly the substitute couldn't control it enough to get the shot away and the chance was cleared.

Miller thought he had doubled Falkirk's lead when he got on the end of Morrison's delivery, but Stone pulled off a terrific block inside the six-yard box to keep it out.

Lewis McCann was booked for a challenge on McKechnie 35 yards form goal, but Connelly's free kick was just over the bar.

In the final minutes, the home side looked to secure the win and Alfredo Agyeman charged into the box, but Queens cleared.

FULL TIME: Falkirk 1 Queens 0