UK Football

By Kenny MacDonald

GLASGOW, April 12 (Reuters) - A goal by striker John Stewart gave Queen of the South a thrilling 4-3 win over Aberdeen on Saturday and their first appearance in the Scottish Cup final.

Queens, from the second tier of Scottish football and founded in 1919, had gone into the semi-final as underdogs against their Premier League opponents.

But they three took the lead times, and Aberdeen equalised three times, before Stewart grabbed the winner against his old club on the hour mark.

Steve Tosh fired Queens ahead in the 22nd minute after Aberdeen keeper Derek Soutar spilled a high ball into the box. Aberdeen levelled with an Andy Considine header in the 36th.

Queens moved 2-1 ahead through Paul Burns just three minutes into the second half only for Aberdeen to equalise two minutes later with a close-range effort from Barry Nicholson.

Queens, who play in the Scottish First Division, restored their lead with a fine shot from Sean O'Connor after he dragged the ball across two defenders in the box before.

Aberdeen equalised yet again with another Considine goal, just a minute before Stewart rifled home the winner.

Queens manager Gordon Chisholm told BBC radio: "I am absolutely delighted and I have to praise my chairman David Rae who has given me great backing."

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood said: "We started poorly and when you do that you get punished - and we did. We let the fans down."

Rangers face another second tier side in Partick Thistle on Sunday in their quarter-final replay. The winners meet St Johnstone, also from the second tier, in the semi-final on April 20. The final is on May 24.