An understrength Queens side were back to winning ways this week after defeating Morton at Palmerston courtesy of goals from Ayo Obileye and Aidan Fitzpatrick. Kalvin Orsi pulled one back for the visitors in the second period, but it wasn?t enough as Queens held on for the three points.
The Doonhamers were without Stephen Dobbie, Joe McKee, Gregor Buchanan, Nortei Nortey, Harry Robinson, Jack Leighfield, Charlie Cowie and Dan Armstrong for today?s game, meaning Rhys Breen made his debut, with Calvin McGrory playing in the absence of Joe McKee in holding midfield. New signing Dapo Mebude was on the bench, as was Gary Maley, who has joined Queens on a seven-day emergency loan deal from Livingston.
Like previous meetings between the sides it was a scrappy start to proceedings, albeit it was the away team who looked more threatening.
A dangerous ball into the area after four minutes from Aiden Nesbitt was turned clear of Orsi by Willie Gibson.
The opening period of the game was marred by injuries to Queens players. Gibson was the first man in some sort of pain after taking a sore one from kick-off, before Connor Shields was forced into the barrier at the side of the pitch. Shields got up and soldiered on, before Rhys McCabe hurt his upper body after going up for a header in the centre of the pitch. Thankfully for Queens fans, all three players were able to continue and an already thin squad didn?t get any thinner.
Both sides were finding their feet in the game in the opening stages and it took a set-piece for the deadlock to be broken after 14 minutes.
Captain of the day McCabe delivered a wicked ball onto the head of Ayo Obileye, who made no mistake in heading powerfully past Aidan McAdams from 10-yards.
Obileye heads home
Obileye gives thanks
It was the Englishman?s fourth goal of the season, who is making quite a name for himself as a goalscoring defender, now Queens? joint second top scorer this season.
Queens pressed on after gaining the lead and shortly after going one-up, they were two-up, thanks to a wonderful solo goal.
Aidan Fitzpatrick picked the ball up in a wide area, dribbling past various Morton defenders before finding himself in the area, neatly slotting past McAdams at his far post.
Fitxpatrick slams home the second
Fitzpatrick celebrates his strike
The half somewhat petered out after the second goal. The Ton were unable to sustain an attack on Queens, while the Doonhamers were content with their first-half lead.
Debutant Breen had a quiet afternoon, although did show what he can do on the ball, waltzing past Morton?s midfield with ball at feet before the break.
Debutant Breen
HT: Queens 2-0 Morton
A good opening 45 minutes for the Doonhamers who continued their fine form against a Morton outfit who were yet to tase defeat under Anton McElhone.
McElhone didn?t take long to switch things after his sides disappointing first-half, Rabin Omar and Craig McGuffie were brought on for Reece Lyon and Cameron Salkeld.
And the changed seemed to pay off after 58 minutes after Rohan Ferguson made an impressive stop from Nesbitt, Kalvin Orsi tapped in the rebound to hand his team a lifeline. It was Orsi?s third of the season, all of which have came against Queens.
Orsi nets
The Greenock side were lucky to keep all 11 men on the pitch after an hour when Lewis Strapp went in extremely high on McCabe, although referee Alan Newlands only brandished his yellow card.
Ex-Queens man Gary Oliver came on for Morton in the place of the aforementioned Strapp after 77 minutes before Queens missed a glorious chance to regain their two-goal advantage.
A counter-attack was spearheaded by Shields, who was joined going forward by the rapid Mebude, although Shields opted to go himself, forcing a terrific save form McAdams in the Morton goal.
And Queens almost rued their missed chance moments later as Nesbit, who?d been excellent all game, missed an open goal from six-yards.
Miss of the season from Nesbitt
His effort looked harder to miss than score, but lady luck was on Queens? side.
After that scare the South were able to hold on to their narrow advantage and gain the three points to move up to seventh in the table.
FT: Queens 2-1 Morton
A hard fought game, as is often the case against Morton, ended in a good win for Queens after a solid showing. Fitzpatrick continuing a run of form thats seen the winger register two assists and a goal in his last two games, while there was also 90 minutes for McGrory and Breen, their first 90 for the club.
Queens make their only journey to Inverness this season next week looking to continue their unbeaten start to the year.
Finlay Jack