QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 1 ABERDEEN 4 Premier Sports Cup Group A Wednesday July 22 2026 Palmerston Park Ref: Lloyd Wilson Attendance: 1,647

A Kevin Nisbet hat-trick eventually quelled a spirited resistance from Queen of the South, the Dons’ win in Dumfries leaving them with their Premier Sports Cup destiny very firmly in their own hands going into the final game of the group. After beating Queen’s Park 2-1 on Saturday, there were two changes to the Aberdeen side at Queen of the South. Jack Milne and Nesta Guinness-Walker were on the bench, replaced by Gavin Molloy and Alexander Briedl, with Dan Happe named as captain. Stuart Armstrong was among the subs for the first time this season. In dazzling sunlight, the Dons started just as brightly, a volley from Conor Ronan flashing across goal and just wide in the second minute. A moment later, Ronan played a clever backheel to Tony Yogane who darted into the box, only to see his low shot saved. It was the home side that hit the front on 14 minutes though, Clark was the man with the goal, a sharp strike from 15 yards, but it was Smith who did the damage, slaloming past two or three challenges to get into the box. As he lost his footing, the ball broke to Clark and he needed no second bidding to drill the ball in. Johnstone tried his luck from distance after 27 minutes, Muller down sharply to his right to make the save as the Dons struggled to find any real rhythm. They weren’t far away on the half hour though, Ronan’s corner in finding the head of Happe, but his glancing header drifted just wide of the target. Patient play from Aberdeen eventually created a crossing opportunity for Lewis Smith down the left, but Mehmet cut it out with a low catch in the 34th minute. Two minutes later, Smith sprinted into the box and went sprawling under a late tackle from McQueen. Penalty kick to the Dons and Nisbet slotted it away with the minimum of fuss to get his side back on terms, taking his season’s tally to three. Afeez Aremu almost created something on 39, dancing into the box. McQueen took a swipe at him but missed this time, Aremu jabbing the ball back to Ronan, but his shot was smothered at the near post. Molloy was booked after 42 minutes, an innocuous looking pull back on Rogerson. Rogerson got on the end of Smith’s free-kick, but looped his header wide. HALF-TIME: QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 1 ABERDEEN 1 Toyosi Olusanya and Guinness-Walker replaced Molloy and Smith at the break. Guinness-Walker almost had an instant impact, getting a free header from a corner but diverting his effort beyond the far post. Aberdeen penned the opposition in in the 50th minute, the ball finally worked to Briedl who sliced wide of goal from 20 yards. Good persistence from Olusanya won his side a corner – and got Goldie booked into the bargain - in the 63rd minute, but Mehmet clutched the ball into the box. There were two more changes for Aberdeen on 66, Briedl and Yogane making way for Armstrong and Kjartan Kjartansson. From a corner almost immediately afterwards, Brad Lyons won the near post header, but it was blocked away at the near post. Aberdeen were turning up the wick now, but their hosts were resolute in defence. Incredibly, the Dons were denied in the 70th minute. A glorious cross from Armstrong found Nisbet stretching to get a good connection at the back post. Mehmet produced a superb double save to deny him, although the ball looked as if it might have actually crept over the line. But no matter - from the resulting corner from Ronan, Nisbet was on the end of it and his header across goal nestled in the back of the net. Two minutes later, Nisbet had his hat-trick, a lovely crisp finish at the near post from a fine first time cross on the run by Lyons, running on to a raking ball forward by Happe. It was a fine team goal. Nisbet was given a few minutes off from there, Ayoub Mouloua replacing him. Aberdeen made it 4-1 in the 82nd minute, a similar goal to Nisbet’s second. Ronan played the ball into the near post and from the corner of the six-yard box, Lyons produced a brilliant header across the face of goal and into the far corner. Happe went down and needed treatment in the 84th minute. Queen of the South then made a double change, Clark and Johnstone replaced by Luissint and Gray. Mouloua almost got in behind as we headed into added time, seizing on a poor back pass, only to be crowded out by Hannah. The Dons had already done the job. ABERDEEN: Muller, Lyons, Mayo, Happe, Molloy (Guinness-Walker 46), Aremu, Briedl (Kjartansson 66), Yogane (Armstrong 66), Ronan, Smith (Olusanya 46), Nisbet (Mouloua 73). Subs not used: Mitov, Milne, Lobban, Marshall. Goals: Nisbet (36 (pen), 70, 72), Lyons (82) Booked: Molloy QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Trialist, Goldie, McQueen, Hannah, Charters, Scott, Rogerson, Smith, MacKenzie, Clark (Luissint 88), Johnstone (Gray 88). Sus not used: Petry, Kelly, Morton, Thomson, Trialist. Goal: Clark (14) Booked: Goldie