We started the brighter and Barry Douglas sent Ryan Holms sccurying up the left wing after only 3 minutes, but his cross couldn't find its intented target in Big Quinno. Moments later and David Murray flashed a left footer just wide from eighteen yards after great build up play by Quinn and Neill. Despite Queen's having all of the early pressure, it was Arbroath who took the lead on 15 minutes. John Neill conceded what was a harsh free kick on the corner of the box, and Smokies midfielder Barry Sellars sent the set piece into David Crawford's top right hand corner. A wonderful strike, which left Queen's with a lot of work to do.
We continued to move forward and Tony Quinn was unlucky to see his effort narrowly clear the crossbar following a knockdown by Jamie Brough. Lichties picked up the games first yellow card on 26 minutes, Alan Rattray booked for a crude lunge on John Neill. Arbroath then should have doubled their advantage moments later, as Paul McMullen somehow managed to hit the underside of the bar from six yards, after Barry Sellars laid the ball on plate in the six yard box.
Arbroath were made to regret this horrible miss on 35 minutes. A quick free kick sent Cairney up the right hand side of the penalty area and following a first cross which was deflected back to his feet, he knocked the ball back in and Jamie Brough stretched to poke it past the keeper, and notch his first ever senior goal. Arbroath began to pressurise and David Crawford made one great save to keep the scores level before half time, denying McMullen.
Arbroath looked aggrieved at the beginning of the second half and they piled pressure on the Queen's backline throughout the early stages. They failed to create many chances however, and Ross Dunlop threatened to punish their wastefullness on 51 minutes, firing a low right foot shot narrowly wide of the post. Arbroath's experience showed once more on 60 minutes, as they won a penalty kick. Robbie Raeside and Tony Quinn exchanged some heated words following a flashpoint in the Arbroath half, and moments later Raeside went down under a challenge from Quinn in the penalty area. The award looked harsh, but Quinn was definately over eager, and a bit rash in the challenge.
It was goalscorer Barry Sellars who stepped up to take the kick, but he saw his vicious strike rebound off the post and away to safety. Speirs made our first change minutes later, replacing the largely disappointing Ryan Holms with youngster Ian Watt, making his first team debut. Queen's were now starting to repel the Smokies pressure and had two chances of our own to take the lead. Firstly Ross Dunlop fired wide from 12 yards before Paul Cairney went too wide as he attempted to round the keeper following David Murray's through pass. There was an anxious moment as Big D slipped in possesion of the ball on the halfway line, Arbroath forward Weir raced through but DC managed to make a stunning double save to keep us level. Arbroath had all the late pressure, but failed to convert, and David Crawford only had to make one good save, to deny Raeside. Queen's return to Hampden next week, as we entertain Alloa Athletic.
QUEEN'S PARK: David Crawford, Ricky Little, Barry Douglas, Damiano Agostini, Jamie Brough, Ryan Holms (Ian Watt), David Murray (Adam Coakley), Paul Cairney, Tony Quinn, John Neill, Ross Dunlop
SUBS NOT USED: Richard Sinclair, Paul Harkins, Zander Cowie (gk)
GOALSCORER: Jamie Brough (35)
BOOKED: Barry Douglas
REFEREE: George Salmond
ATTENDANCE: 523
MAN OF THE MATCH: David Crawford