- Queen of the South are 9th in the William Hill League One with -5 goal difference after 2 matches.
- Cumbernauld Colts are near the foot of the Lowland League West, conceding 9 goals in the last 5 games.
- This is the first documented senior competitive meeting of Queen of the South and Cumbernauld Colts FC.
Doyle’s Colts may spring a surprise if they stay in the game
Palmerston is a big step up for Cumbernauld Colts FC in their KDM Evolution Trophy opener on Tuesday and the hosts are heavy favourites to send John Doyle's men home in the hat.
Cumbernauld Colts are the 158/25 outsiders, with the draw coming in at 21/5 and Queen of the South being 8/25 to kick off a new era of player-manager rule.
It's a huge odds-on price for a team that are 9th in the William Hill League One with -5 goal difference, but the early signs for Nicky Clark's team have not been great. His initial 4-2-3-1 has been front-heavy and attack-first - which is no surprise given that Clark is their focal point as both manager and attacker.
But the Doonhamers' last five senior games reads 3-0 Brora Rangers, 1-4 Aberdeen, 1-3 Queen's Park, 1-5 East Kilbride and 0-1 Peterhead. That's one win and four defeats in a period when the opposition has had a field day in their penalty area.
That form isn't great, but the Brora game, which was played with plenty of flow, showed that they can still click in the final third when the service reaches their best players, of whom there are a few. Clark's link-up play with Liam Smith, who scored a double in the Brora win, has been the best so far and the striker has the poacher's instinct to make the most of the chances they do create.
Palmerston should host a decent game
Doyle's Colts are a lively team with a compact 4-4-2 and a gameplan that flows well when it clicks. They like to get the ball wide and early, win second balls and transition quickly to their two best attacking outlets, Adam Fernie and Jamie Semple.
The recent results read 2-1 Clydebank, 3-2 Glasgow University, 1-2 Dunipace, 4-2 Largs Thistle and 2-2 Kilwinning Rangers - a mixed bag with plenty of goalmouth action. They sit near the foot of the Lowland League West early in the season, which is fair enough given their schedule of mixed opposition has left them open too often.
So, even though this has the feel of a classic cup mismatch, the outsider odds on the Colts are about right because they do have a live underdog chance if they can stay compact, stay in the game and be ruthless on the break, which is what they do best. But the likeliest outcome is a home win, and Queen of the South to win to nil looks the best alternative market in this fixture.
