A Timam Scott hat-trick and a second half goal by Josh Hinds ensured the Wee Spiders beat Hibs and progressed to the semi-final of the Reserve Cup.
This final game in Group Three was the decider with Queen’s sitting one point ahead of Hibernian. Third placed Livingston had already played all their games and could not catch either of the sides.
A cold, wet afternoon greeted the two sides to the Lochinch pitch. But that did not deter the Spiders with both Josh Hinds, on the left, and Timam Scott, on the right, testing the Hibees defence from the off.
In the 10th minute Max Thompson dribbled past two defenders before Freddie Owens, in goal for the Edinburgh side, blocked his cross for a corner. A Jay McGarva header from the resultant corner brought off another fine save by the young Hibs keeper.
In the fifteenth minute, it was Hibs who opened the scoring. The Edinburgh side were awarded a free kick 25 yards out, right of centre. The free kick was delivered into the box, half cleared by the Queen’s defence to the edge of the box, where Adam Buckley controlled the ball and fired a half-volley into the corner of the net.
Queen’s responded with Timam Scott speeding into the Hibs box and firing off a shot which was blocked.
In the 23rd minute the Wee Spiders equalised. An attack down the left wing saw the ball played to Max Thompson. Max swivelled and got a shot off, which was blocked. Timam Scott shot from the rebound, which was also blocked. Timam was first to react to the loose ball and this time fired the ball into the net.
The Spiders doubled their lead in the 36th minute. Josh Hinds broke through the Hibs defence and fired in a shot which Hibs keeper Owens parried. The ball fell to Timam Scott who drilled the ball home from seven yards out.
Half-time: Queen’s Park 2 Hibernian 1
Queen’s started the second half in control, pushing the Edinburgh side back right from the start.
In the 53rd minute Ross Mclean played the ball through to Josh Hinds. Josh sped past two defenders before hitting a low shot past the keeper into the far corner of the net for the home side’s third goal.
Four minutes later Magnus Mackenzie reacted quickly to block a shot from Hibs’ Josh Landers, which looked an almost certain goal.
A minute later Zach Balfour pulled off a great save diving to his left to grasp the ball.
Hibs were putting the young Queen’s side under pressure and were rewarded in the 65th minute when Dean Cleland beat the Queen’s offside trap and slipped the ball past Zach Balfour from eight yards out.
In the 70th minute Alex Fairlie tested the keeper with a shot just inside the Hibs box.
In the 82nd minute Queen’s got their final goal when Timam Scott was brough down inside the Hibs box. Timam took the spot kick, sending the keeper the wrong way to score his third and Queens fourth of the game.
The young Hibs side kept going with Zach Balfour pulling off a superb block a minute later to deny Hibs’ Landers yet again
Full-time: Queen’s Park 4 Hibernian 2
Queen’s Park: Zach Balfour, Ross McLean(Joseph Smith), Leo Fisher, Jay McGarva, Magnus Mackenzie, Michael Collie, Timam Scott, Aiden McGinlay (Lennon Alex Fairlie), Reece Evans, Max Thompson(Lennon Connolly), Joshua Hinds (Josiah Sowa). Subs: Sam Gibson.
Hibernian: Freddie Owens, Owen Calder, Lewis Gillie, Arran McSporran, Zach Bruce, Dean Clelland, Adam Buckley, Josh Landers, Josh McDonald, Jamie McMurdo, Malik Zaid. Subs: Ryan Mallon, Cole Shankland, Luke Davidson, Logan Jimenez