Arbroath 0 Queen’s Park 1

Spiders’ Head Coach Robin Veldman made three changes to his starting line-up with Ben McPherson, Cameron Bruce and Patrick Jarrett, who all came off the bench in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Arbroath, starting.

Louis Longridge, Tommy Robson and Jack Turner were listed on the substitutes’ bench where they were joined for the first time by Ricky Waugh who joined the club recently after a spell at Hibs.

Queen’s kicked off and Jack Spong quickly tried to release Dom Thomas down the left wing however former Spider Ricky Little dashed across the pitch to clear.

With three minutes gone Ruari Paton flicked a fine pass to Barry Hepburn who found McPherson racing down the right however an offside flag ended what looked like a promising attack.

A minute later Paton was fouled at the edge of the home box and the striker dusted himself down before curling an effort goalward where a deflection took it wide for a corner.

Charlie Fox received the dead ball at the far side of the home box and the towering defender showed deft footwork before crashing to the ground with referee Lambie not interested in penalty shouts.

Callan McKenna was called into action shortly afterwards as the ball fizzed across the turf with the young goalkeeper dashing from his line to smother.

Paton and Thomas earned a corner on 16 minutes after an exchange of passes that began on the half way line however the home defence easily cut-out the skippers’ driven cross from the set-piece.

Bruce and Thomas were also involved in a fine passing move two minutes later which earned another corner that was headed into the path of Fox with Gaston able to hold his low shot.

Bruce was fouled deep into the home half on 21 minutes however Thomas’ cross was cleared to Jermain Hylton who charged towards the Queen’s goal before impeding McPherson to end the danger.

Arbroath broke forward with menace again shortly afterwards after a Paton and Jarrett move ended with Will Tizzard standing strong to head away. The Red Lichties then carved out an opening with a swirling cross that reached Leighton McIntosh with the striker sending a header wide.

The visitors were soon back on the attack when Jack Thomson sent a delightful cross-field ball to Hepburn who sped away from Scott Stewart only to be pulled back for a free-kick that Stewart sliced past his own goal.

Hepburn scampered his way down the right again on 34 minutes with Gaston doing well to cut out his dangerous low cross.

Eight minutes from the break Arbroath defender Aaron Steele rose highest to meet a free-kick 8 yards out from McKenna’s goal with his resultant header clearing the bar by a couple of feet.

On 42 minutes the hosts’ Mark Stowe created a shooting chance as he cut in from the right wing and looked to curl a shot into the far corner however McKenna was able to watch this effort fly past.

In injury time Joao Balde fired at the Spiders goal and when it struck off a visiting body it looked set to land at the feet of McIntosh until McKenna dived out to gather.

The first chance of the second half fell to Spong who cracked a first-time shot goalward that unfortunately struck Paton on the back just as Gaston was diving frantically to his left.

The next few minutes saw the medical staff for both sides kept busy as Balde took ill before carrying on and then McKenna and McPherson collided as they cleared a high ball and when the game restarted McKenna had to backheel his way out of trouble as the home attack looked to take the ball off his toes.

Hepburn danced his way through three challenges on 56 minutes before Arbroath regrouped with Bruce pulled up for offside seconds later as Veldman’s men looked to get their noses in front.

Bruce then had to show his defensive qualities as he slid in to clear after a Ryan Dow pass had threatened to send Stowe clear.

Balde, who was feeling much better, let fly from 20 yards on 64 minutes with his powerful shot rising and going over the Queen’s goal.

A goal arrived on 69 minutes and it arrived due to a precise pass from Spong that released PATON through on the centre of the home goal and the striker was able to slide the ball through Gaston’s legs (just) and then watch on as the ball slowly travelled over the line.

The lead was almost short-lived and only a fine stop from by McKenna kept-out a close-range header from Jay Bird.

Dow fired a shot over before Tommy Robson was brought on for Hepburn with the replacement quickly involved as he blocked another effort from Dow.

Home captain Thomas O’Brien was cautioned for a high challenge on Paton with the goalscorer then on the end of a challenge from Little that was also penalised.

Fox was perfectly placed with four minutes left to turn a dangerous Dow cross behind for a corner that was sent behind for a by-kick.

In the final minute Arbroath took advantage of a misplaced pass from Turner to send a long ball through to McIntosh who was denied by McKenna who had raced from his line to narrow the angle.

Little popped up on the right wing twice in injury time to send over crosses into the Queen’s box however a good clearance from Thomas and then a catch from McKenna helped see things out.

Queen’s Park – Callan McKenna, Ben McPherson, Will Tizzard, Charlie Fox, Cameron Bruce (Liam McLeish 83), Jack Thomson, Jack Spong, Barry Hepburn (Tommy Robson 74), Dom Thomas, Patrick Jarrett (Jack Turner 65), Ruari Paton.

Unused substitutes – Calum Ferrie (G/k), Alex Bannon, Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, Lewis Reid, Louis Longridge, Ricky Waugh.

Arbroath – Derek Gaston, Aaron Steele, Scott Stewart, Ricky Little, Thomas O’Brien, Joao Baldé (Craig Slater 78), David Gold, Michael McKenna (Ryan Dow 46), Leighton McIntosh, Mark Stowe (Jay Bird 66), Jermaine Hylton (Kenan Dünnwald-Turan 66).

Unused substitutes – Ali Adams (G/k), Keaghan Jacobs, Jess Norey, Scott Allan.

Referee: Scott Lambie.