Skipper opens up after cruel penalty slip cost them Championship dream
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Published: 14th May 2026|Location: Regionwide
GUTTED Queens skipper Matty Douglas admitted the heartbreaking defeat will take a long time to get over. The Doonhamers showed unbelievable fight to crawl back from the brink three times over a brutal two-legged play-off war. But their Championship dreams were shattered in the most agonising way possible. Reflecting on his two years leading the side, the emotional captain insisted he was still proud of his players despite the gut-wrenching exit. Douglas said: “I’ve absolutely loved being captain of Queens, no matter what the future holds. I’m very proud to have led the lads out for the last two years. “I’m gutted as I came here with the ambition of getting the club into the Championship and we’ve been so close twice. It’s just a tough one to take.”
The second leg at Ochilview was an absolute rollercoaster, with veteran forward Nicky Clark finding the net twice to force the shootout.
But Reece Lyon – who has been sensational for the club all season –turned from hero to heartbroken after his footing completely gave way at the worst possible moment. Then Clark had his attempt saved. Douglas added: “We’re gutted. I think the lads showed character coming back from behind three times during the two legs. “Nicky and Reece both scored during the play-offs. Reece has been unbelievable all season, but what can you do when he slips. “If he scored that penalty then Nicky could have been going up to score the winning penalty. The mindset would have been different. “But it’s a really tough one to take and will be hard to get over for a long while.”
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