Our KMD Evolution Trophy matches continued away at Edinburgh City. With a big game to come in the league at the weekend, manager Nicky Clark, made six changes to the side that beat Airdrie. Chris McQueen, Brodie Dair, Cole Coughlin, Ruari Ellis, Billy Gray and Rocco McColm all got the nod ahead of Liam Smith, Zander Mackenzie, Connor Young, Shaun Want, Niall Rogerson who all dropped to the bench. The Gaffer also sat this one out due to the rib injury he picked up against the Diamonds.
It was a sluggish start from Queens and the home side had a couple of early chances from Jack Leish and Murray Aiken that Deniz Mehmet saved. But the keeper was beaten after eight minutes when Ricky Waugh played in a corner that was knocked back into the path of Leitch who curled a left foot shot into the top corner.
Queens were struggling and as they gave away a free-kick 25-yards out Jason Jarvis fired the ball just wide of the upright. And as City continued to push forward Leitch hit a powerful strike that Mehmet pushed out for a corner.
It had been relentless pressure and Lennon Walker forced another save from Mehmet with a shot from just inside the box. As they came again, Ellis got across to cover to allow the keeper to collect.
Midway through the half Queens eventually had a peek at goal when Gray was inside the six-yard box but turned his left foot shot the wrong side of Mark Weir’s right-hand post.
It was a brief flurry out of their own half and as the visitors failed to clear their lines properly Walker cut inside and fired a shot just over the bar from outside the box.
With just over half an hour played Queens had a lucky escape when Aiken played a low cross from the right for Walker who took a touch before hitting a left foot shot off the post.
Sixty seconds later Walker got in between McQueen and Ellis to get through the middle but Mehmet blocked his right foot effort. The same player missed another opportunity when Casey Bunker crossed from the left and as he slid in he could only knock the ball wide.
Clark’s side were finding it tough but did finish the first half better and seven minutes before the break Taylor Charters played the ball out to Dair on the right had side of the box but as he kept the cross low the hosts cleared. Back at the other end, Jarvis cleared the bar from distance.
The final chance of the half did fall to Queens when Dair did the hard work to get the ball to Charters, his delivery into the area was blocked but it wasn’t cleared properly and as the ball came back out to Dair he crossed for Coughlin but he couldn’t get enough on it to cause any danger.
HALF TIME: Edinburgh City 1 Queens 0
Both sides made several changes at the start of the second half and with just over an hour on the clock, Smith worked his way into the box but found it crowded and the move fizzled out. It was better from Queens and Ben Johnstone carved out a cross from inside the box but he had no takers. And as the game moved back up the park, McQueen got caught on the wrong side by Walker who got the shot away and had Mehmet beaten but again he was denied by the base of the post.
It was a let off for Queens and within a minute they were back level when Young scored his first goal for the club when he drilled the ball low into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Midway through the half Caleb Goldie played the ball into the box but it was cleared. The substitutions had made an impact for Queens and after Smith caused problems, Johnstone was inside the box but his low shot was blocked.
Two minutes later, Mackenzie’s effort was deflected for a corner and as the ball came in Young headed just over.
Smith then linked up with Goldie on the right and as the defender returned the ball into the 18-yard area, the winger hit a left foot shot too high. In the final five minutes a long ball forward by Ellis was kept in by Charters who found Johnstone but his snap-shot was hit with power and cleared the crossbar.
Bunker then hit a free-kick straight into the arms of Mehmet before the final chance of the game on ninety-minutes fell to Queens when great play by Smith set-up Mackenzie but the keeper got down to save his shot. The ball was still in play and as it fell to Johnstone, he dragged a weak shot wide.
FULL TIME: Edinburgh City 1 Queens 1
Teams:
Edinburgh City: Weir, McGinn, Grigor, Leitch (Quinn 57), Walker (Lynch 69), Jarvis (Pitt 46), Waugh (Brodie 46), Bunker, Aiken, Rowe & McGregor (Law 57). Subs not used: Dowie.
Queens: Mehmet, Goldie, Charters, McQueen, Dair (Smith 54), Johnstone, Coughlin, Ellis, Davis, Gray Young 54) & McColm (Mackenzie 54). Subs not used: Petry, Want, Rogerson & Morton.
Ref: Cameron Stirling