Queen of the South boss gutted at SPFL Trust Trophy exit

Queens manager Marvin Bartley was gutted to crash out the SPFL Trust Trophy to a last-minute killer blow but pointed to some pleasing positives.

The Doonhamers had produced a decent first half display and carved out a clutch of chances including a late opportunity to even snatch a win.

And after Arbroath won with a last minute goal from a player, Michael McKenna, who was due to be substituted moments earlier, Bartley exclaimed: “You have to ask if you did something wrong in a previous life.

“The performance was good and we created enough chances to win a couple of games. It is frustrating and disappointing to walk away without the result.”

The South took an early lead in the fourth round collision at Palmerston through a splendid Kyle Doherty strike.

But the Red Lichties levelled through Jay Bird in 54 minutes before a spectacular volley by McKenna in the dying seconds won the tie.

The deadly strike came after Kieran McKechnie passed up a superb chance to score from eight yards by firing straight at keeper Alasdair Adams.

Bartley said: “That’s the thing we had that chance.

“When Jake (Brydon) was going through I was shouting: ‘Don’t shoot, you better square it.’

“And Jake pulls it back to Kieran perfectly who takes a touch and then the goalkeeper makes a save but really it is straight at him. Kieran is absolutely gutted.

“But he worked tirelessly for others to make chances and he worked hard to get in that position for Jake and was in that right position for the chance. So he has to let that go and move on and do better next time.

“Kieran and Kyle Doherty worked well together and could have had a goal each.

“It was about doing the hard yards. I hate to lose but in terms of creating chances, we