Queen’s Park 2 Dundee United 5

With Callan McKenna, Cameron Bruce and Lennon Connolly on international duty, coach Paul Nujiten re-shuffled his pack with Alex Bannon getting a run out in his first match since injury.

The Spiders were 1-0 down at the break with the more experienced Tayside side picking up the points after the second half saw six goals including a penalty for either side.

The hosts started brightly with Timam Scott hitting the by-line and cutting the ball back in the direction of Liam McLeish with United just scrambling clear for a corner.

On five minutes Calum Biggar and Gregor Nicol combined to find McLeish at the edge of the visitors’ box however his pass forward to Alex Fairlie was cut-out by Ruairidh Adams.

On 13 minutes Dundee United threatened for the first time when Kai Fotheringham found Thomson Miller on the left and his cross looked perfect for Sadat Anaku until Lewis Reid stepped in with a timely clearing header.

Two minutes later Biggar found Bannon at the back post with the defender stabbing his shot into the side-netting.

United threatened again on 18 minutes when Miller sent a deflected effort into the arms of Liam Russell with the goalkeeper called into action again a minute later to save from Anaku.

The Tannadice Reserves took the lead on 28 minutes with Russell suffering cruel luck as he tipped Jacob Comerford’s close range effort from a corner onto the bar and then making a superb block from the rebound only to be beaten when Ross Graham lashed the loose ball home from six yards.

Queen’s looked to hit back quickly and good work going forward by Nicol created a shooting chance only for the visiting defence to stand strong and block the danger.

There were two further opportunities as Nujiten’s side looked to equalise before the break with Joseph Smith charging upfield from his right back role and sending in a low shot that needed careful attention from Adams.

Just before the whistle Zach Mauchin cut in from the left wing and his right footed shot looked destined for the far corner until it was pushed wide.

Scott shone brightly just after the restart when he accepted a pass from McLeish and progressed up the right wing before testing Adams with a low drive.

Russell made a smart stop from Miller on 48 minutes however there was little he could do ten minutes later when Glass, who has played against the Queen’s first team this season for Cove Rangers, sent a fierce drive high into his net from 25 yards.

The hosts recovered from that blow quickly and on 61 minutes they pulled a goal back when a Biggar corner was headed goalward by Reid and Alex Fairlie applied the slightest of touches with his head from a yard out to find the net.

The deficit was back to two goals on 65 minutes when Miller converted a penalty after he had been tripped just as he darted into the box.

Within a minute it was 3-2 as Biggar rolled home a penalty for Queen’s after a Nicol cross was handled by Comerford.

Unfortunately Queen’s could not build on this platform, and stage a recovery, as the fleet-footed Matthew Cudjoe ran clear after a solo run and side-footed home on 71 minutes.

With eight minutes left Biggar released Fairlie with Adams scooping up his low shot before United completed the scoring with six minutes left when Miller volleyed into the net from six yards.

Queen’s Park: Liam Russell, Calum Biggar, Alex Fairlie, Alex Bannon, Gregor Nicol (Liam McQuaid 70’), Zach Mauchin, Lewis Reid, Andrew Lind, Liam McLeish, Timam Scott, Joseph Smith (Kane Thomson 73’)

Subs not used: Archie Graham.

Dundee United: Ruairidh Adams, Layton Bisland, Aaron Donald, Jacob Comerford, Ross Graham, Craig Moore (Keir Bertie 61’), Matthew Cudjoe, Kai Fotheringham, Sadat Happy Anaku (Stuart Heenan 85), Declan Glass (Alan Domeracki 73), Thomson Miller.