Queen’s Park 2 Aberdeen 0 – Spiders heading back to Hampden in Youth Cup Final

QUEEN’S PARK are heading to Hampden for the Scottish Youth Cup Final after a 2-0 win over Aberdeen at Lochinch.

Goals from Cole Goldie and Daniel Edzii in the last ten minutes of a tense tie sealed a first ever final at this level for the club and progress for Charley King and Lee Mitchell’s side.

The young Spiders have not conceded a goal throughout the cup campaign, and an excellent display from Kyle Rodger and Lewis Smith at the back contributed to a clean sheet for Archie Aitchison in captain Cole Burke’s absence.

The defender’s suspension will be over for the final, due on April 28 against either Hearts or Kilmarnock as he sat out a second consecutive Cup win over Aberdeen.

Early on the Dons tested Aitchison and Tristan Stephen forced the goalkeeper into a save at his feet by charging down a kick-out from the keeper.

Immediately the young Spiders kicked into gear and Cole Goldie showed brilliant footwork to dance into the Dons box, but his cut-back to Caiden Adams was snuffed out.

They came even closer shortly before the interval after a bruising first half with two committed sides.

Goldie went close, firing over the bar from close range and then Logan Duffy fired inches wide, on the turn from the edge of the box, a minute later.

After the break Queen’s Park finally got the better of Theo Simpson, a Kai Williamson cross catching the keeper out and crashing off the crossbar in the closest chance yet.

The same player then glanced a Caiden Wright free-kick just wide as the search for the opener went on. 

However the Dons had their own spell of pressure just after the hour mark and Samuel McLean shot over as the Dons kept up pressure for a 15-minute spell on the home side.

They shaved the outside of Aitchison’s post with a low drive too before the Spiders finally broke the deadlock ten minutes from time.

The Dons had made several substitutions throughout the second half, and at the break, but King and Mitchell left their changes til late. Their patience paid off.

A sweeping move saw Cole Goldie arrive late in the box to tuck away a Sam McLachlan cut-back after brilliant work from sub Luke Moore.

Five minutes later they sealed the deal with another sub, Daniel Edzii – on for the tireless Logan Duffy – tucking away the second and celebrating in style.

The home side saw out the remaining minutes before the final whistle and kicked off a dressing room party with coaches Louis Longridge and Peter Grant among the noisy celebrations at full-time.