Cove Rangers saw their bid for a first cup final in the SPFL fall short as they were beaten 1-0 by Championship side Queen of the South.
In a game the home side dominated, they were knocked out at the semi-final stage of the SPFL Trust Trophy by Aidan Fitzpatrick’s early goal and made to rue countless missed chances.
Visiting goalkeeper Josh Rae was heroic between the sticks for the Doonhamers, keeping his struggling side in the game and earning them a final berth.
They will advance to the final at the beginning of April, where they will play the winners of Wednesday’s game between Kilmarnock and Raith Rovers.
Cove made three changes from the 2-2 draw with Alloa Athletic. Stuart McKenzie, Harry Milne and Jamie Masson came out, with Kyle Gourlay, Robbie Leitch and Rory McAllister coming in.
People were still taking their seats as the first goal flashed in after 64 seconds. Ruben Soares Junior’s pass split the Cove defence and allowed Fitzpatrick to race clear, with the winger crashing his shot past Gourlay at his near post.
Cove, stung by the early blow, mustered a response, as Blair Yule’s deflected cross flashed across the face of goal and McAllister forced Rae to block at his near post.
Midfielder Josh Todd embarked on a winding run and shot which was gathered by Gourlay, while Rae had to be alert to parry a long-range effort from Fraser Fyvie.
So far it was a Cove Rangers team not hitting their stride. They had plenty of the ball in threatening areas, which is almost a pre-requisite when the play at the Balmoral, but the delivery was off and their passing game was only showing glimpses of its fluid best.
The shift back to their old 4-2-3-1 formation yielded greater joy in the wide areas, particularly for Yule on the right, but they were not capitalising on it.
They were left cursing their luck at times too, with Mitch Megginson denied by the post and then Rae somehow thwarting Fyvie on the rebound.
Leitch, continually urged to stay wide by manager Paul Hartley, was the next to take aim, lashing over from the edge of the box. His shot, like his team in the first-half, was not up to par.
Queens had faced Cove in two Scottish Cup ties earlier in the season and been outplayed on both occasions. The first game saw them grab two dubious goals before being pegged back twice by the Aberdeen side, while they were dumped out 3-0 in the replay at Palmerston.
There was plenty of heart and grit about this side, under the temporary care of player-manager Willie Gibson, and they were needing it to remain in this game.
McAllister flashed a header wide and Rae beat away a long-distance try from Leitch. The former Peterhead stopper kicked away a cross-shot from McAllister too, with Rae fast becoming the main obstacle between Cove and a place in the final.
They had been bereft of defensive duties for much of the game and it nearly told, as they waited for a linesman’s flag that did not come as Soares Junior broke clear. Gourlay was on hand to keep the deficit to one.
Not to be outdone, Rae was at it again. A superb arcing pass from Vigurs picked out Yule in stride; he shifted his feet to get a left-footed strike away but Rae got down to turn it round the post.
Hartley threw caution to the wind, bringing on forwards Leighton McIntosh and Ola Adeyemo, with Cove finishing the game with four strikers on the pitch.
The hoards of blue shirts probed and pushed, desperate to find a way through, but the Queens rearguard held firm.
Jamie Masson lashed a shot wide as stoppage-time crept in, with the groans around the ground reflecting Cove’s fortunes on a frustrating night.