Queens Profit Against Sub-Par Cove

02/08/25

Queens Profit Against Sub-Par Cove

COVE RANGERS 0–2 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH

Our League One campaign got off to the worst possible start as Queen of the South eased to a deserved victory thanks to goals in either half from Kurtis Guthrie and Kai Kennedy.

Ryan Harrington came closest to scoring for us, keeper Stewart pushing away his powerful free-kick, and Fraser Fyvie had a goal chalked off, but in truth, the team failed to hit the heights throughout, and could have no complaints.

Paul Hartley made two changes from the narrow defeat last weekend with Blair Yule and fit-again captain Fyvie both starting. Declan Glass was ruled out through injury and David Eguaibor dropped to the bench.

Queens kicked-off and almost made an immediate breakthrough when Liam Smith raced into the box and passed for Lyon, Yule moving quickly to block his shot.

We steadied, and put together a promising attack, Mitch Megginson flicking the ball into the box for Ryan Harrington who looked to be fouled as he chased it down, but referee Kennedy waved play on.

The visitors broke quickly, and from Kai Kennedy’s delivery Reece Lyon headed wide at the back post.

It was an open start to the game, and Arron Darge set up our next attack, Harrington cutting-in from the left to shoot, but Stewart dealt comfortably with his effort. Good interplay saw us cut through again, Fyvie crossing to the back post where Layton Bisland teed-up Mitch Megginson. The striker saw his first shot charged down and his follow-up deflected to safety.

Queens took the lead in the nineteenth minute from a corner on their right. Douglas nodded the ball back across goal and Kurtis GUTHRIE got enough on his header for it to bounce into the net off the inside of the post.

Excellent play by Megginson and Bisland created an opening for Fraser Fyvie, but the flag went up as he ran clear in behind. It looked a tight call.

The lively Smith then caused more problems, a 1-2 with Kennedy setting him free in the area. He shot low, but Robbie Mutch dived to make an impressive save.

We were soon up the other end again, Fraser Fyvie and Megginson combining to find Ryan Harrington who sped down the touchline and fired in an inviting cross. Fyvie was on hand to net from a few yards out, but as he turned to celebrate, the assistant raised his flag once more. Again, it was a borderline decision.

Mitch Megginson created an opening for himself, wriggling clear of a couple of defenders before shooting, but his effort took a deflection and the keeper gathered comfortably. We came agonisingly close to levelling in our next foray forward after Penman was forced to concede a corner.

Fyvie took it, and Megginson’s shot was half-blocked, but Arron Darge gathered, made a yard of space, and fired goalwards, the ball flying inches wide of the left post. Immediately after that, Doyle chipped a superb ball through for Blair Yule, and when he whipped in the cross, the flailing Douglas got a desperate touch on it, Stewart forced to tip over to prevent the own goal.

David Eguaibor replaced Fraser Fyvie at the interval, but it was a quiet start to the second half, and it was not until the fifty-seventh minute that anything of note happened when Mitch raced clear on to the substitute’s pass, but as he bore down on goal, once more the flag was raised.

We had a couple of half-chances charged down, but were not looking threatening enough in possession, and the Dumfries side thought they had increased their lead just past the hour mark.

Jack Hannah went on a rampage upfield, eventually pressurising Mutch as he attempted to clear. The ball ran to Guthrie, who converted, but the big centre-half had collided with Robbie, and the referee deemed his challenge illegal.

Megginson then let rip from long-range, the ball appearing to strike the arm of a Queens defender, but our appeals went unanswered by the officials, and the visitors killed the game off a few minutes later.

After uncertainty in our box, Justin Eguaibor failed to clear, and when the ball ran free to Kai KENNEDY he showed composure before drilling it low into the net.

We might have grabbed a lifeline with five minutes remaining when David Eguaibor was fouled just outside the area. Ryan Harrington stepped up to take the free-kick, his sweetly-struck effort flying past the wall, but Stewart was alert, diving to his right to push the ball out for a corner.

That was as good as it got for Cove, the manager admitting afterwards that a big improvement will be required in the coming weeks if we are to bounce back from what was a major disappointment to kick-off the season.

COVE RANGERS: (3-5-1-1) Mutch; Doyle, J. Eguaibor, Parker; Bisland, Yule, Darge, Strachan, Harrington; Fyvie (c) (D. Eguaibor 46); Megginson

Substitutes: Demus, Ochmanski, Donaldson, Milnes

Scorers:

Bookings: Darge (12), Parker (39), Yule (55), Doyle (83), Bisland (87)

QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: (4-2-3-1) Stewart; Penman, Douglas (c), Hannah (Rogerson 74), Charters; Luissint (Stott 80); Johnstone; Smith, Lyon, Kennedy (Darboe 90); Guthrie (Hewitt 90)

Substitutes: Thomson, Ross, McLinden, Trialist, Burke

Scorers: Guthrie (19), Kennedy (81)

Bookings: Kennedy (41), Stewart 68)

Referee: Joel Kennedy

Attendance: 402

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