HEADING into the match Athletic occupy the League One relegation play-off spot in ninth position, while the Doonhamers sit fourth, the final promotion play-off place.
Annan fans will hope that come close of play on Saturday May 3 – the last day of the season – they can sit back and relax, knowing they are safe and that another campaign in the third tier awaits.
However, QOS supporters want their season to go on for a few weeks longer, with a shot at the play-offs and a chance to return to the Championship.
Although their league position does not sound great, it is not all doom and gloom for Wullie Gibson’s Black and Golds.
They sit level on points with Inverness – although, the Highland side lead by a greater goal difference – and the gap to Kelty is down to just four points following last weekend’s vital win against the side from Fife.
Meanwhile, Queens finally found a way into the coveted play-off places after they secured a brilliant victory over Inverness and Alloa were surprisingly beaten by League Two bound Dumbarton.
Peter Murphy’s men now lead Alloa by a single point and their destiny is in their own hands.
These derby clashes are always highly anticipated and have attracted good crowds to both Galabank and Palmerston Park over the course of the last two seasons.
In the past two seasons in League One Queens have won the fixture four times, while Annan have claimed victory twice.
The first draw came at the end of December at Palmerston, it finished 1-1 after Wullie Gibson’s late penalty cancelled out Adam Brooks’ early opener.
