Paul Hartley's praise for Cove Rangers as they reach play-off final

Press and Journal

10-05-2025

Manager Paul Hartley hailed his Cove Rangers players for keeping their promotion hopes alive.
Goals from club legends Mitch Megginson and Blair Yule earned the Aberdeen side a 2-1 win over Queen of the South at the Balmoral Stadium, which means they progress to the Championship play-off final.
Cove – who had one season in the Championship in 2022-23 – will now face Airdrieonians over two legs for a place in Scotland's second tier next term.
The first leg is at the Balmoral Stadium on Wednesday (8.10pm kick-off) with the return at the Excelsior Stadium on Saturday.
Boss Hartley said: 'I'm delighted for the players, staff and everyone connected with the club.
'It's been a long season, but if you said at the start of the season we'd be in the play-off final with the chance to get to the Championship we'd have taken it.
'The players have been absolutely magnificent for me, it's a young group with a wee bit of experience.
'Credit to everybody, it's a great occasion for us, we'll go and attack the two games to give ourselves an opportunity against a very good team.
'There was a spell with 20 minutes to go when we knew they'd throw bodies at us, but we dealt with it.
'We could have killed the game off, especially in the second half with some really good counter-attacking moments.'
Cove's victory was watched by a crowd of 1065 and Hartley is hoping they will be well-supported again in midweek, even though their meeting with Airdrie clashes with Aberdeen v Celtic at Pittodrie.
He added: 'We had a good crowd, the crowds haven't been the best this season, but we gave them something to cheer about today.
'Hopefully we'll get another good crowd on Wednesday – there is another game in the city – but hopefully we get big numbers turning out.
'I can't thank the players enough, to a man they've been absolutely outstanding.'
Cove made the dream start by taking the lead in the seventh minute.
They enjoyed a spell of pressure around the Queen of the South box, which culminated in Arron Darge being tripped by Harry Cochrane's sliding challenge. Referee Calum Scott pointed to the penalty spot and Megginson fired into the top left corner.
Neither goalkeeper was tested in the first period, however, it was Cove who looked the sharper in possession and they were clinical two minutes into the second period when they doubled their lead.
Queens failed to deal with a cross from the right, Yule gathered the loose ball, side-stepped a challenge and his shot from 10 yards eventually found the net despite the best efforts of Matthew Douglas and Michael Hewitt to clear on the line.
Shortly after Cove's Findlay Marshall curled into goalkeeper Ross Stewart's hands as they looked for the third goal to completely settle the issue.
Having offered little going forward Queens did then start to create some chances.
In the 53rd minute sub Benjamin Luissint prodded the ball into the net, but was flagged offside.
Then midway through the second half sub Fraser Bryden broke clear on the right and squared for Jordan Allan, his attempt was blocked at close quarters by goalkeeper Nick Suman before Michael Doyle cleared.
Cove should have netted a third goal on 73 minutes when sub Fraser Fyvie played Adam Emslie through on goal, but his shot was tipped over by Stewart.
Four minutes later Queen of the South scored to set up a nervy finish as Kai Kennedy's sublime strike from 30 yards flashed into the left corner of the net.
However, Cove saw the game out thanks to some determined defending. The closest Queens came to equalising and forcing extra-time was a net-bound Allan shot from 10 yards which Suman tipped away down to his right.