Nordsjaelland 2 - 1 Queen of the South: Gallant Queens go down fighting

QUEEN of the South's first European adventure ended in brave defeat last night as they failed to reach the Uefa Cup first round.

The Irn-Bru First Division club were unable to overturn their second qualifying round first leg defeat to Nordsjaelland but were more than a match for their Danish top-flight opponents.

Bob Harris' early stunner gave Queens hope of an upset, but the home side took advantage of their need for a second goal with two late Martin Bernburg strikes.

Gordon Chisholm made three changes from the Queens side beaten 2-1 in the first leg, on-loan Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell replacing Bryn Halliwell. Jamie Adams and Harris came in for Jamie McQuilken and the injured Gary Arbuckle in a 4-5-1 formation.

Harris immediately justified his inclusion with a stunning second-minute goal. A Queens free kick 30 yards out was touched to the defender, who unleashed an unstoppable swerving drive into the net.

Queens were denied a good opportunity to go ahead in the tie in the 18th minute when Benjamin Kibebe gave the ball away deep in his own half. The panicking defender responded by felling Sean O'Connor on the edge of the box, rightly earning a booking. Stevie Tosh hit the wall with the resulting free kick.

Ten minutes before the break, the visitors went close to doubling their lead when Paul Burns burst forward and released Stewart Kean, who was put off by a challenge and blazed over.

Nordsjaelland began to get on top in the second half and Chisholm responded by withdrawing Adams for Stephen Dobbie shortly after the hour mark, before Richter sent a 25-yard rocket narrowly wide.

Queens went straight down the other end and O'Connor and Dobbie exchanged passes before the former's left-foot finish hit the legs of Jesper Hansen. But the goalkeeper nearly gifted Queens the goal they needed with 14 minutes left when he punched the ball straight to Burns, who shot too close to Hansen.

The visitors were becoming increasingly desperate and were caught upfield as Henrik Kildentoft broke away and crossed for Bernburg to sidefoot the hosts level. All hope for Queens was extinguished in the final minute when a long ball found Bernburg, who held off his marker and finished.

Nordsjaelland: Hansen, Kibebe, Kildentoft, Lundberg, Simon Richter, Bernier, Jonathan Richter, Christensen (Neilsen 89), Petersen (Fetai 69), Karlsen (Dahl 46), Bernburg. Subs Not Used: Pode, Storm, Pedersen, Theis Rasmussen. Booked: Kibebe, Petersen, Christensen.

Queen of the South: Bell, Reid, Harris, Thomson, Barr, MacFarlane (Robertson 80), Tosh, Adams (Dobbie 64), Burns, O'Connor, Kean (McQuilken 70). Subs Not Used: Halliwell, Aitken, McGowan, McLaughlan. Booked: Adams.

Referee: Tony Chapron (France).

Attendance: 3,452