Queen’s Park 1 Livingston 1

Callum Davidson handed a quick-fire debut to new loan recruit from Celtic, Dane Murray, with Zach Mauchin back in the starting line-up however both Nikolay Ujdur and Jack Thomson were both absent.

Clearance was received shortly before kick-off for former Sunderland defender Henry Fieldson and the 19-year-old was on the bench.

Dom Thomas kicked the game off however it was quickly stopped again as Referee Grainger awarded the visitors’ a foul.

It looked like Queen’s had an early chance when a long ball forward from Jack Turner released Rudden on just two minutes however a raised offside flag sat down home hopes.

Thomas’ dancing feet took him past Ryan McGowan three minutes later and the skipper sent over a teasing cross that Rudden flicked goalward only for Shamal George to save with that offside flag raised again in any case.

Rudden found Thomas on 12 minutes with a headed pass and the captain returned the favour with one that rolled across the pitch with Rudden sending over a left wing cross that a diving Roddy MacGregor headed wide.

Andrew Shinnie fired across the home goal shortly afterwards with the hosts gathering the ball and breaking when Thomas and Rudden combined again with the striker chopping in and out before just failing to find the top corner with an angled drive.

Murray was composed with 20 minutes played as he stepped in to head away a bouncing ball as Tete Yengi looked set to pounce, with Louis Longridge conceding a corner in the aftermath when he poked the ball off Shinnie’s toes.

QP won their first corner midway through the half after a fine passing move started by MacGregor and carried on by Rudden ended when a cross from Thomas was deflected wide.

Mauchin was cool in the summer rain as he ended a visiting raid with a cute pass to Longridge who looked unsuccessfully to set up an attack.

Defender Mauchin then showed his skills in attack as he won a corner that Rudden met only to see his header deflected wide for another flag kick that was cut back to Turner with the midfielder seeing his low drive blocked.

On 31 minutes Turner tried his luck twice from an acute angle with his second effort stopped by the legs of George with the resulting corner seeing a close-range effort from Cammy Kerr scooped up after MacGregor had headed on.

A goal for Queen’s Park arrived on 36 minutes with Mauchin involved again as he hit the touchline and sent a pass back the way to MacGregor, who found RUDDEN and he forced the ball past George from six yards.

Calum Ferrie was called into action six minutes from the break to beat away a powerful Stephen Kelly drive at the expense of a corner.

The visiting Daniel Finlayson picked up the game’s first yellow card for a cynical foul on MacGregor near the half-way and from the resultant free-kick Thomas had a shot charged down.

Two minutes from the break a Longridge corner fell into the path of Josh Scott with the Queen’s Park Geordie sending a well hit shot over.

Half time – Queen’s Park 1 Livingston 0

The second half started with Finlayson sending a shot over Ferrie’s goal with Ferrie having to dive down low shortly afterwards to save from the same player.

Former Dundee team-mates Kerr and Rudden led a home raid on the Livi goal on 52 minutes however it came to an end when the first half goalscorer was judged to have fouled.

Sixty seconds later a post came to Queen’s Park’s aid as Kelly twisted and turned before sending a swerving shot goalward only to see it come back off the woodwork.

Kerr stepped in to stop another Livingston attack with a block that ran to a grateful Ferrie following a spell of pressure on the home goal.

With an hour gone the score was 1-1 as a high ball into the home box was not cleared and after several ricochets Matthew Clarke stabbed home.

Queen’s looked to have settled after the loss of the goal and a fine passing move from right to left involving Machin, MacGregor and Thomas saw a pass flashed into the box for Rudden only for Michael Nottingham to step in and clear.

On 68 minutes another sharp passing move from The Black and Whites gave Turner a glimpse of goal with Shamal diving to his left to smother his 20 yarder.

Three minutes later Rudden had a good chance when the ball was worked into his feet eight yards out however an outstretched defensive leg stopped his shot finding the net.

Kerr was perfectly placed to head away a dangerous looking Kelly cross behind with Reece McAlear firing wide after the corner had only been partially cleared.

Longridge led a 3 on 3 attack on 85 minutes and slipped a pass into substitute Liam McLeish who was crowded out just as he let fly.

Queen’s had one last chance to grab a winner as the ball felt to Longridge some 25 yards out however his effort rose high over.

Queen’s Park – Calum Ferrie, Zach Mauchin, Dane Murray, Cammy Kerr, Louis Longridge, Sean Welsh, Jack Turner (Josh Hinds 88), Roddy MacGregor, Josh Scott, Dom Thomas, Zak Rudden (Liam McLeish 81).
Unused substitutes – Jack Wills (G/k), Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, Tyrece McDonnell, Magnus Mackenzie, Darryl Carrick, Aiden McGinlay, Henry Fieldson

Livingston – Shamal George, Matthew Clarke, Ryan McGowan, Scott Pittman, Tete Yengi, Stephen Kelly, Jamie Brandon, Daniel Finlayson (Olly Green 86), Michael Nottingham, Andrew Shinnie (Reece McAlear 76), Robbie Muirhead (Liam Sole 70).
Unused substitutes – Jerome Prior (G/k), Ben Jackson, Ricky Korboa, Andrew Winter, Samson Lawal.

Referee – Graham Grainger