East Fife 0 Queen’s Park 0

Credit is due to the East Fife team sheet printer who had to accommodate a larger number of substitutes than normal with the home side listing ten, while Queen’s Head Coach Callum Davidson listed fourteen substitute Spiders. The starting eleven contained some familiar names, with Calum Ferrie in goal, Lewis Reid and Charlie Fox in a central defensive pairing and Dom Thomas and Ruari Paton further forward. One trialist featured in the starting line up, with four others on the bench.

The game kicked off in overcast and chilly conditions. Some slick passing down the left side gave Dom Thomas an early attempt at goal, however his effort didn’t trouble home keeper Liam McFarlane. East Fife responded with a free kick from the right which had the Queen’s defence under pressure, however an assistant’s flag intervened. Almost immediately, a misplaced pass out of defence game the home side a chance, however Cal Ferrie did what Cal Ferrie does and blocked the shot.

Queen’s were trying to play at a high tempo, with Zach Mauchin having a number of forays up the wing, one of which ended with a shot from Jack Turner sailing over the bar. As the half wore on, Queen’s began to put together some slick passing moves – Thomas and Mauchin combined well to force a corner, Josh Scott had a shot from 20 yards well saved and neat build up play saw a shot from Lennon Connolly saved by the impressive home keeper McFarlane, who is on loan to East Fife from Heart of Midlothian.

The home side pushed forward at every opportunity, with a free kick from the left punched clear by Ferrie under pressure from a number of players in the box. As half time approached, a strong run down the left was halted as Mauchin blocked the cross. The resultant corner was eventually cleared after some ping pong at the edge of the box.

Half time: 0-0

Queen’s rang the changes at half time with no fewer than ten substitutions – only Lewis Reid remained on the Methil artificial surface for the second period from those who started the game. Louis Longridge was one who joined the action, with all four remaining trialists getting a run out in a youthful Spiders line up as the second half kicked off.

It was the home side who were first to threaten, with a slack pass in defence giving East Fife an early corner which was taken short, however an over hit pass meant the attack fizzled out. The Fifers continued to press and when a shot was blocked for another corner, Queen’s were fortunate not to concede as a header came back off the underside of the bar and was cleared.

As the clouds rolled in, the stadium was abruptly swathed in light as the floodlights came on after sixty minutes. In truth the action failed to brighten, although both teams put in plenty of effort seeking that elusive strike that would bulge the net. Former Spider Gregor Nicol came on for East Fife and shortly after that, a long ball through the middle was chased down by a trialist for the home side with substitute Queen’s keeper Jack Wills making a fine stop. Queen’s raced to the other end and a high cross into the box was nearly forced in by Tyrece McDonnell.

As the clock ticked towards ninety minutes, both sides had half chances to snatch a win – in the end a draw was a fair result.

Full time: 0-0

East Fife:
Liam McFarlane, Stewart Murdoch, Liam Newton, Kieran Millar, Brian Easton, Jess Norey, Nathan Austin, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Andy Munro.

Subs: Allan Fleming, Pat Slattery, Scott Shepherd, Alan Trouten, Jack Healy, Gregor Nicol, Reis Peggie, Sean Docherty, Charlie Murray, Brendan Ramsay

Queen’s Park:
Calum Ferrie (sub 45) , Zach Mauchin (sub 45), Joshua Scott (sub 45) , Lewis Reid (sub 74), Charlie Fox (sub 45), Jack Turner (sub 45), Lennon Connolly (sub 45), Dominic Thomas (sub 45), Ruari Paton (sub 45), Timam Scott (sub 45) and Trialist 1 (sub 45) .

Subs: Lucas McCormick, Trialist 2 (sub 45), Trialist 3 (sub 45), Louis Longridge (sub 45), Trialist 4 (sub 45), Ricky Waugh(sub 45), Tyrece McDonnell (sub 45), Liam McLeish (sub 45), Trialist 5 (sub 45), Darryl Carrick (sub 45), Alex Fairley, Archie Graham (sub 74), Samuel Kane (GK) and Jack Willis (GK – sub 45)

Referee: Jamie McCunnie
Assistant Referees: Craig Macrae and Robert Bowie.