Reserves v Queens Park

Young Pars side lose out as Queens Park go through to meet Ross County in the Reserve League Cup Final.

QUEENS PARK 2 DUNFERMLINE 0

MATCH PICTURES
With a First Division fixture against Morton the following day, the reserve side fielded at Lesser Hampden on Monday night only saw four survivors from the eleven that defeated Cowdenbeath last week to earn a place in this League Cup Semi Final. In addition to the U19 squad, Callum Reidford at the ripe old age of 21 was the oldest in the Pars team.

In sixth minute Harry McGregor pumped in a free kick from the touchline just 10 yards into the opponents half and Lee Graham was very close with a header that sailed narrowly outside the right post. Dunfermline had another good chance four minutes later after Lewis Turner and Jordan White had fed Conner Schivone but the striker delayed his shot and was closed out.

Adam Coakley's diagonal pass from the half way line created the first chance for Queens Park and there were appeals for a penalty from the home fans as Steven Lynch eased Waleed Nadim off the ball.

Guisseppi Capuano and David Murray then delivered Coakley with the chance to strike from 20 yards but he hit that one over the crossbar. At the midway stage of the first half a Turner corner from the right picked out White at the far post but his header was kicked off the line by Jack Henry.

The 32nd minute saw Schivone send the ball right for Chris Lennon and his shot was only half stopped by keeper David McPherson but the youngster turned and grabbed the ball off the line to save any embarrassment.

Ray Montgomery hit a Queens free kick wide and then Reidford and Graham almost handed a gift to the hosts when a lack of communication 22 yards out caused the keeper to blast the ball into his defender and give Nadim a shot at an open goal from the left angle of the box.. Luckily he shot wide.

Schivone had a good opportunity four minutes from the break and might have done better had he released the ball to John MacDonald on his left. Instead his shot was parried by McPherson and from the resultant corner McGregor powered in a header that earned another corner. From the second Turner corner Graham rose to head at goal but was just over the top.

The Pars started the second half brightly with Turner twice unlucky to lose the race to a loose ball; firstly after a White shot was blocked and then after a Ryan Thomson effort was parried.

At the other end Coakley had a glorious 53rd minute chance from David Murray's cut back but he sent it well over the bar. The same player then wasted a free kick on the edge of the box by firing it into the Pars wall but Queens Park were to find the net in 57 minutes. Nadim cut inside substitute Blair McWhirter, passed out to the left for Montgomery who squared for MURRAY to net from 5 yards.

After that White came close, Lennon overstruck a cross after carving out a chance and there was a game of head tennis in the Queens box as Dunfermline tried to take advantage of their opponents going down to ten men after losing Henry to injury after using their final substitute.

Pars sub Steven Leslie almost came up trumps with an overhead kick and then in 89th minute he hit the crossbar from the edge of the box. White then had a shot blocked and as the Pars piled on the pressure seeking that elusive equaliser, Queens broke and dealt the final blow. It was the third minute of added time but Rees Smith and Lewis Turner lost possession at a free kick on the left angle of the Queens penalty box. Substitute Ian 'Chuky' WATT ran the full length of the pitch before planting the ball in the Pars net.

Queens Park go through to meet Ross County in the Reserve League Cup Final.

QUEENS PARK: Gordon McPherson; Jack Henry, Ray Montgomery, Andy Boslem (Gavin Lachlan 19), Steven Baillie, Guisseppi Capuano, Adam Coakley (Frankie McIvor 68), Ross Dunlop, Stewart McGrady (Ian Watt 63), David Murray, Waleed Nadim
SUB NOT USED: Alex Cowie (GK)
SCORERS: Murray (57), Watt (90+3)

DUNFERMLINE: Callum Reidford; Steven Lynch, Lee Graham (Blair McWhirter HT), Harry McGregor, Rees Smith; Chris Lennon, Lewis Turner, Ryan Thomson, John MacDonald (Aaron Scott 71)' Conner Schivone (Steven Leslie 68), Jordan White
SUB NOT USED: Craig Bald (GK)