Nordsjaelland 2-1 QoS (4-2)

By Martin Conaghan

Queens came close to making history for a Scottish side

Two goals in the last five minutes from Nordjaelland in Denmark sent brave Queen of the South out of the Uefa Cup on their European debut.

A superb 30-yard free-kick from Bob Harris in the second minute put the Doonhamers back in the tie.

Queens pressed forward in an attempt to become the first Scottish side to win after a first-leg home defeat.

But two goals on the break from Martin Bernburg put the tie beyond the Scottish First Division side.

Gordon Chisholm's side got off to a dream start when a careless challenge by Johnny Lundberg on Neil MacFarlane in the second minute handed Queens a free-kick 30 yards out in front of goal.

Stewart Kean cued up Harris for the former Clyde man to deliver a magnificent left-footed strike to level the tie.

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The Danish hosts still had the advantage of the away goal but seemed shell-shocked by the early opener and struggled to get an early grip on the game.

With 17 minutes played, Sean O'Connor was felled on the edge of the penalty area by Benjamin Kibebe, but Stevie Tosh's free-kick could not break through the Nordsjaelland wall.

Morten Karlsen replied quickly at the other end with a searching drive from 25 yards out, but it flew over the bar.

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Queens could have doubled their lead with 10 minutes remaining in the first-half when Paul Burns linked up with Kean on the edge of the box, but the former St Mirren forward blasted his shot over the bar.

Shortly before half-time, Nordsjaelland's Jonathan Richter tested Queens goalkeeper Cammy Bell with a curling shot from 18 yards out but failed to make an impact.

Moments later, Burns came close on the counter-attack but ran out of steam in the final third.

The last chance of the first-half fell to Bernburg, but he failed to find the net from just five yards out.

Nordsjaelland looked more determined in the second-half, with early chances from Jonathan Richter and Patrice Bernier, although the Queens defence held out admirably.

Bernburg (centre) scored both goals for Nordjaelland

In the 65th minute, Jonathan Richter fired in another blistering shot from 25 yards out that shaved Bell's right-hand post.

O'Connor replied on the counter attack and should have scored with a close-range effort but only managed to hit the keeper's legs.

Fifteen minutes from the final whistle, Hansen failed to smother a cross deep into the heart of the Nordsjaelland six-yard box and Burns pounced on the re-bound but to no avail.

The Danes equalised with five minutes to play when captain Henrik Kildentoft picked up a loose ball down the right and threaded through a clean pass across the Queens box for Bernburg to shoot past Bell.

Queens threw everyone forward, but it was all over as a contest in the final minute with Bernburg's second goal of the night after he picked up a long ball and held off Craig Reid to shoot home from close range.

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FC 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.

Goals: Bernburg 85, 90.

Queen of 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.

Goals: Harris 2.

Agg (4-2)

Att: 3,452

Ref: Tony Chapron (France).