A poor display by Montrose ended in defeat at Palmerston Park with Queens deserving the points. Montrose had to make changes to the starting eleven with Williamson and Hester out injured along with Quinn and long-time absentee Waddell. So it was three at the back, five across the middle and the two up top were McIver-Redwood and Lyons. Referee was Craig Napier who was certainly to make his mark on the game in no uncertain way.

Queens were first to attack and a loose ball in midfield almost cost Montrose but it came to nothing and was eventually cleared. Lyons went down the left and crossed but there were no takers as the ball went across the front of goal. Then Hannah for Montrose tried his luck but keeper Stewart was equal to it. It was looking good for Montrose at that point with plenty of possession with a couple of corners yet there was no end product though one effort was headed over by McIvor-Redwood. Fifteen minutes gone and Queens started to get more into it and did what Montrose failed to do, and scored. Pharrell Willis weaved his way down the left and thundered a shot past Gill into the far corner to make it 1-0 after 17 minutes. As it turned out it was Queens only shot on target.

Montrose tried to fight back and Webster shot over the top then two more corners came to nothing. The next 25 minutes up to half-time were mostly possession by Queens with Montrose playing long balls upfield with no threat to the Queens defence. Just before the break it looked like a penalty to Montrose when Machado was felled in the area but referee Napier was having none of it and it stayed at 1-0 to Queens.

Montrose needed a change but started the second half with the same line up. Then came a major decision by referee Napier as Masson was clearly fouled by a pull-back but it was Masson who was red carded for something he appeared to say to the lad who fouled him and after a flurry of activity the lad who did the foul was yellow carded. 

So although it was a free kick to Montrose, Queens got the better of it as the Mo went down to 10 men on 57 minutes. Oddly Montrose started to gain more possession but there was still no pressure on the Queens goalmouth area. It was Queens who made the first change with Luissint on for Willis after 65 minutes. Queens were on top now against the 10 men of Montrose but chances came and went with shots high and wide.

Then two yellow cards for Montrose as both Webster and Dillon were shown the cards as was Kennedy for Queens all in the 73rd minute. Then Montrose finally made a treble change as Watson, McKenzie and Brown came on in place of Webster, Hannah and Machado on 76 minutes. Play was devoid of action for a while with neither side showing any signs of threat so Queens made another change with McIntosh replacing Cochrane then the Mo replaced Lyons with Shrive and Steeves was replaced by Balfour all on 82 minutes.

Then another blow for Montrose as Gardyne tackled an attacker who was making his way from the goal area. Gardyne got the ball and the referee allowed play to continue as Montrose got the ball upfield. BUT the linesman had seen something and the referee went to have a word. A penalty was given and Gardyne was red carded. The penalty was missed but the Mo were now down to 9 men to see out the remaining few minutes. Strangely with 9 men Montrose looked more dangerous and could well have equalised. 

Queens held up play with an injury to Lyon who was replaced by O’Donnell. The final piece of action was another yellow card for Queens as the full-time whistle blew for a 1-0 win to Queens.

A poor display from Montrose and with two players now on red cards they will be short of players for the next game but on a more positive note hopefully some carrying injuries will be back in action soon. 

Report by Steve Doyle