Battling Banbridge come from behind to earn a draw

Town went into the game without suspended skipper Stephen Greene, serving a one game suspension, and James Wilson, whose late call-off gave manager Ryan Watson a selection headache.

Martin Buchanan reverted back to his more familiar centre-half position and this gave teenager Adam Dennison a chance to slot into a centre-midfield role.

Queen’s manager Peter Thompson also had to reshuffle his pack at late notice with Mulholland getting injued in the warm-up to be replaced in the starting line-up by Allison.

After early pressure from the away side, the first real threat on goal came when the ball was hooked clear by Dennison, whose display defied his young age.

A corner from Prenter then found James Ferrin, who headed back across goal to find Allison but his acrobatic overhead kick was blocked on the line by Conor Downey.

The Queen’s centre-half Ferrin was in the tick of the action but soon after, for the wrong reasons as he got caught in possession by Downey, who broke from the half-way line before shooting straight at ex Donegal Celtic stopper Declan Brown.

Murphy robbed Buchanan, who claimed he was fouled and as the referee waved play on, Murphy found Sean Walsh. He managed to get in behind the Town rearguard and scuffed a shot into the net.

Town showed great character to work their way back into the game. After a good move involving Wilson, Taggart and Dennison earned a throw-in high up the pitch, Downey crossed to Ally Wilson who rocketed a finish past the helpless Brown.

The visitors even threatened to go in ahead but after Nathan Baird’s cross found Downey, he couldn’t find the target.

The second half started brightly and within five minutes, Teggart tested Brown but Queen’s soon found their rhythm. They had one ruled out for offside but the linesman didn’t come to Town’s rescue on 70 minutes as Hanna latched onto Brown’s free-kick and planted a free-header past McConville.

The keeper kept Town in the game minutes later when he made a smart save from Allison at the base of his post and then stopped Prenter’s one-on-one with his feet.

His hard work was rewarded on 82 minutes when Ally Wilson turned provider as his free-kick was glanced into the net by Martin Buchanan.

Duncan Stoddard then came off the bench and was agonisingly close to winning it as his fierce drive from Baird’s corner flew over the crossbar.

QUEENS: Brown, Culbert, Byrne, Ferrin, Hanna, Prenter, Murphy, Hanan, Lavery, Mulholland, Walsh.

BANBRIDGE TOWN: McConville, Baird, Buchanan, Waddell, Jones, Taggart, Dennison, Wilson, Downey, Gourley.

Subs: Orr, Stoddard, Hayes, Watson.