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It was a frustrating afternoon at Balmoral Stadium yesterday, as we were held to a draw against Queen’s Park, despite Luis Longstaff receiving an early sending off for the visitors, and constant pressure on the Queen’s defence.

The midfielder was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in the first half, for two fouls on left-back Harry Milne.

Despite having the man advantage, our continuous waves of attack were dealt with well by the Queen’s defence, who battled all afternoon to prevent us from breaking the deadlock.

Manager Paul Hartley made one change to the side that drew 1-1 with Airdrieonians last week, replacing Rory McAllister with Leighton Mcintosh in the starting line-up.

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The visitors started brightly, and in the 7^th minute, Longridge twisted in and out of Yule and Ross, which Neill halted by fouling the midfielder near the left-hand touchline.

Smith whipped the cross in, but the strong wind held the ball up, allowing the Cove defence to easily deal with the free-kick and clear to safety.

Our first opportunity of the match came in the 10^th minute – Scott Ross found Vigurs down the right-hand side, who cut inside on his left and whipped an inviting cross into the Queen’s box.

McIntosh rose highest to flick a header towards the back post, but his effort went just wide of the target, and was just out of reach for the onrushing Connor Scully at the back post.

Longride continued to look dangerous as he cut in from the right past Milne and unleashed a shot from range in the 13^th minute, but thankfully he dragged his shot well wide of McKenzie’s goal.

The visitors continued to press, and in the 15^th minute, Smith sent a dangerous cross towards Longstaff in the centre, which Milne was able to head behind for a corner, although only narrowly wide of McKenzie’s right post, which left the home fans breathing a sigh of relief.

Thomson was booked in the 18^th minute, after bringing down Megginson right on the edge of the penalty box.

Vigurs stepped up to take the resulting free-kick, but his powerful strike sailed wide of Ferrie’s goal.

We continued to push forward, and had two chances in the 22^nd minute to open the scoring.

The first of the two chances fell to Fraser Fyvie, who had a low shot blocked by Kilday in the box.

The ball dropped to the edge of the area, and Milne was allowed space to send a shot at goal, but unfortunately he fired well over.

Yule found himself in the space 25 yards from goal in the 24^th minute, but his effort was easily gathered by Ferrie.

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Moments later, Luis Longstaff picked up the first of his two bookings, for scything down Milne as he looked to go on one of his driving runs down the left-hand side.

We went close again on the half hour mark, as Scully forced Kilday to clear the ball out for a throw-in to the left of the Queen’s penalty box.

Vigurs took quickly, finding Milne in the area who brought down well under pressure but again couldn’t find the target.

Queen’s Park were reduced to 10 men in just the 34^th minute of the match.

Harry Milne was the man causing the visitors problems, as he picked up the ball in his own half and looked to drive up the pitch, but was brought down by the already booked Longstaff, leaving the referee with no choice but to send the winger for an early bath.

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We looked to take advantage of the extra man instantly from a corner.

Vigurs played short to Scully who clipped a shot goalward, but Ferrie was alert at his near post to punch away from goal, and Queen’s cleared the ball to safety.

We continued to try and break the deadlock before the break, but Ferrie was on hand for Queen’s to firstly hold a Megginson shot from the edge of the area, before getting down well to hold a dangerous driven cross from Milne, denying us the opportunity of gaining a lead before the half-time whistle went.

We began the second half on the front foot, creating an opportunity within a couple of minutes of the restart.

Reynolds picked up the ball just inside the Queen’s Park half, and drove forward with the ball, but his shot from 30 yards flew well over the crossbar.

We pressed from the resulting goal-kick, and Vigurs latched onto a slack pass out from the back, before playing wide to Scully, but his low driven cross was well held but Ferrie.

In the 50^th minute, Scott Ross was brought down by Connor Smith as he advanced down the right.

Vigurs looked to catch the Queen’s team off guard by playing a short free-kick to Fyvie who played a delightful cross to Morgyn Neill, but his powerful bullet header went narrowly over the bar.

In the 56^th minute, the ball dropped to Mitch Megginson on the edge of the box, but his snap-shot deflected off a Queen’s defender and trickled just wide of the goal.

Milne, who was voted Man-of-the-Match by sponsors Scot Grip International, again forced Ferrie into a great save on the hour mark.

He cut inside and found McAllister in the box, who returned to the Milne as he burst into the box, attempting to recreate last week’s goal versus Airdrieonians.

Unfortunately, Ferrie was able to dive and hold Milne’s awkward half-volley which looped up off the ground towards the far corner.

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The visitors were fortunate not to be reduced to 9 men in the 67^th minute, after Fox fouled McAllister off the ball as we broke forward looking to open the scoring, however, the referee opted to only book the defender.

We continued to pin the visitors back, and Blair Yule had an excellent chance to open the scoring with just 20 minutes to go, as he wriggled his way out of pressure in the corner.

He found space in the Queen’s box and set up to curl a shot into the far corner beyond Ferrie, but sliced his effort high and wide of the goal.

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The visitors sat in and looked to threaten on the counter, and did just that in the 78^th minute.

Jai Quitongo broke down the right wing, and fired a cross into the heart of the Cove penalty area.

Substitute Connor McBride got on the end of the cross and fired an effort towards goal, which may have ended up in the back of the net had it not been for Ross being on hand to block the net bound strike.

Our biggest chance of the match came just 3 minutes from the end of the game.

Harry Milne made a great tackle on the half-way line and drove forward down the left-hand wing as he did all game.

He sent in a low cross towards Rory McAllister, but his shot was blazed over the bar from 10 yards.

In added time, both Reynolds and Quitongo were booked, as the two had a coming together after Reynolds easily dealt with a long ball forward.

We continued to keep the ball in the final few minutes, but the Queen’s Park defence stayed strong and didn’t allow us to carve out any late chances, meaning the game ended goalless at Balmoral Stadium.

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COVE RANGERS: McKenzie, Neill, Milne, Scully (Masson 64), Ross, Yule (Fotheringham 75), Megginson, McIntosh (McAllister 58), Vigurs, Fyvie, Reynolds.

Subs: Strachan, Anderson, Adeyemo, Leitch, Gourlay.

QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Robson, Kilday, Longridge (McBride 46), McHugh (Quitongo 66), Brown (Darcy), Fox, Thomson (Davidson 46), Doyle, Smith (Reid 70), Longstaff.

Subs: Grant, Moore, Heraghty, Biggar

Referee: Alan Newlands.

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