Doonhame for Christmas!

PETER Murphy hopes a bumper Palmerston crowd can get Queen of the South over the line against Hamilton on Saturday. Club officials have set a target of 2,000 Doonhamers coming through the turnstiles to back the team stating it’s ‘your chance to return home and support the side you grew up watching’. Queens have offered season ticket holders to ‘bring a buddy hame’ with half-price tickets on offer and punters will be able to enjoy live pre-match music from local band The Hazards in the club’s shiny new hospitality suite. And the Queens gaffer is urging for fans – young and old – to come to the match this weekend. He said: “We’re in the Christmas period where a lot of people will be off so hopefully they can come and support us and give us a lift because we’re in a good position in the league and we want to carry that on. “If the fans can come out and support then that is greatly appreciated. I would implore them to come. He added: “I thought the fans were excellent last week against Montrose. “We’ve got a really good core of young fans with the drum on the terrace. “If we can keep getting the younger crowd in to add onto the older crowd that we’ve got then we’ve got a good opportunity to build an atmosphere in the club.” Murphy’s men have been in good form over the past few weeks, winning three consecutive matches in all competitions. Mikey Hewitt scored the only goal last week in the 1-0 victory over Montrose at Palmy with Queens sitting fourth in League One and in the final play-off position. But Murphy knows it will be a tough ask against Hamilton – who have been deducted more points by the SPFL – this weekend. He added: “Hamilton have been impacted by a points deduction and their manager leaving since we last played them. “Will that affect them with what is going on there? It’s an expensive time of year and if they are not sure whether they are going to get paid or not, it will be hanging over them. We have to approach it as any game and get the win.” Striker Kurtis Guthrie should be fit for Saturday’s match whilst Reece Lyon is also expected to make the clash after Murphy revealed the star midfielder has a heel issue.

Meanwhile, forward Jordan Allan has returned to full training after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.