Queen's started the game on the front foot and Jack Henry created the matches first chance. He cut inside from the right past ex Spider Ian Maxwell, and curled his left foot shot narrowly over the crossbar, but after eight minutes and Partick were ahead with ex Spiders hero Paul Paton playing a key role in the strike. He burst up the right hand side past Ryan Holms and his cross took a nick of Barry Douglas, Jamie Brough looked sluggish in dealing with the danger, and on loan Thistle striker Damon Gray rammed the loose ball into the bottom corner from six yards. Spiders fans worst fears of a Thistle romp seemed to be justified on ten minutes, when the Jags made it two with a depressingly simple goal.
A long ball over the top was taken down by veteran forward Mark Roberts who with little opposition, burst past Martin Ure and Jamie Brough, before sliding the ball low through Zander Cowie's legs and into the back of the net. Queen's heads could have went down but they didn't, and the young side were beginning to make a game of it. Ryan Holms went on a great run beating two defenders before curling a shot just over the bar before Queen's pulled one back on 17 minutes. Holms was brought down by Paton on the right hand side and Barry Douglas delivered a cross to the back post. Ross Dunlop connected and headed against the post before the ball fell to debutant Jack Henry on the edge of the box, and he hammered the ball right footed into the bottom corner with no hesitation.
Thistle came back strong following Henry's strike and both Scott Chaplain and Ian Maxwell came close with long range efforts, just clearing Zander Cowie's cross bar. On 27 minutes Queen's were given a lucky escape as Scott Chaplain missed a great chance for Thistle. A long ball over the top was missed by Zander Cowie and the ball fell to John Robertson, he squared to Scott Chaplain and from four yards he smashed the ball right at Jamie Brough who was patrolling the goal line. A brave piece of defending by Brough, but and opportunity passed up by the Harry Wraggs. The referee produced his yellow card for the first time on 35th minutes booking Thistle midfielder Gary Harkins, brother of Queen's Paul, for a crude challenge on Jack Henry. On 39 minutes, Marc Twaddle volleyed high and wide from twelve yards after a cross from Paul Paton fell onto his right foot.
Queen's were relieved to get in at half time with the game still a contest, and were once again under pressure following half time. Ex Aberdeen midfielder David Rowson forced a decent stop by Zander Cowie with a long range drive, before Ian Maxwell had his header cleared off the line by Martin Ure. Damon Gray then came close for the hosts before Spiders were reduced to ten men on 66 minutes.
Richard Sinclair halfed ex Spider Maxwell, and was handed a second booking for the challenge. Queen's difficult task of forcing extra time, just became even harder. Queen's did respond in a positive fashion to the red card however, and we began to play some very nice football. There was a lack of clear chances however with the best coming from Robert Dunn, the substitute firing a shot way over the bar from twenty yards when he really should have tested the goalkeeper.
QUEEN'S PARK: Zander Cowie, Martin Ure, Barry Douglas, Richard Sinclair, Jamie Brough, John Neill, Jack Henry (Robert Dunn), Paul Harkins (Tony Quinn), Adam Coakley, Ross Dunlop (Andy Boslem), Ryan Holms
GOALSCORER(S): Jack Henry (17)
BOOKED: Richard Sinclair (2), Barry Douglas
SENT OFF: Richard Sinclair
REFEREE: Stephen Finnie
ATTENDANCE: 1,386
MAN OF THE MATCH: Jack Henry