Tal pen
It was a reasonable opening from the home side, with Gemmell's header after 4 minutes, from a Lappin cross, saved by Simonsen. However, Everton began to stamp their authority. Young Rooney twice went close, before opening the scoring in the 16th minute, heading in Loumboutis's left wing cross. Eight minutes later, Rooney set up Duncan Ferguson, who tapped the ball easily past Mitchell. Soon after this, the impressive Gemmell, who appears certain to be given the chance to lead the line this season, set up Stuart Jack with a head flick but the ex-Gourock man's shot went well wide.
Queen's were doing their best to make a game of it, despite the obvious gulf in class, and despite struggling to contain the dangerous Rooney, again went close before the interval. From a Paddy Gallagher cross, Gemmell again demonstrated his aerial prowess by setting up Fisher. Sadly, Chris's shot was simply too easy for Simonsen; it was a chance that should have been taken. Again, the lack of killer finishing from Queen's let them down, as it has done so often. Within a minute, Everton had extended their lead, thanks to a wonderful shot from that man Rooney. Set up from the left again, he smacked the ball with the outside of his foot from the edge of the area and gave Mitchell no chance, with the ball going in off the bar.
Queen's had another great chance to break their duck shortly after the restart, but John Gemmell hit the crossbar with a volley after another head-flick had set him up, this time from sub Willie Martin. Almost immediately, Queen's paid for their failure in front of goal, when McLeod coolly beat the keeper from the edge of the box after Rooney had sent him clear.
Everton made the win more emphatic with two further goals. Rooney secured his hat-trick with a drive from outside the box, and a penalty converted by Tal, after McLeod was fouled by Queen's Park substitute White, made it six. Tal had an appalling miss in the last minute, hitting the ball straight at Stewart Thomson after rounding him and two home defenders.
As far as Queen's were concerned, the performances of Moffat and Agostini at the back, and Gemmell up front, were promising. With the new season starting in just over a week, it must be hoped that the likes of Whelan, Canning, Marshall, Jackson and Quinn are all available. The games with Lancaster City and SFL new-boys Gretna over the weekend should provide the chance for morale boosting victories, as well as hopefully decent performances.
Queen's Park: Mitchell ( Thomson ), Sinclair ( Ferry ), J. Gallagher, Agostini, Moffat ( Bruce ), Lappin, Jack ( Magee ), Marshall ( Quinn ), Gemmell
( White ), P. Gallagher ( Martin ), Fisher.
Everton: Simonsen, Said, Clarke, Yobo ( Naysmith ), Loumboutis, Unsworth, Alexandersson ( Linderoth ), Carsley ( Gravesen ), Rooney, Ferguson ( McLeod ), Tal.
Attendance: 1,588.