Manager Marvin Bartley made two changes to the starting 11 from the side that faced Kelty Hearts for the visit of Dunfermline. Paul McKay had to pull out after picking up an injury in training, which meant a start for Cammy Logan in defence with Kieran McKechnie also returning to the wing with Lewis Gibson dropping to the bench.

In the opening five minutes Jaze Kabia had a chance to open the scoring but it was scrambled clear as he tried to force it over the line. The league leaders weren’t going to make it easy and a minute later Joe Chalmers won a challenge ahead of McKechnie to set up a chance for Chris Mochrie, but his effort was low and wide.

Kane Ritchie-Hosler looked lively on the wing for the visitors and as he used his pace to race down the right, his menacing cross looked dangerous, but no one attacked as it came into the box and the danger dispersed.

It was an evenly contested game and as Queens attacked Stephen Hendrie played a good through ball for Kabia, but the ball was just too far ahead of the Livingston loanee. Josh Todd then made a good run to again set up Kabia but as he went to hit the shot, he landed in a heap on the ground having pulled his groin and had to be replaced by Gibson after just 12 minutes.

Midway through the first half Queens were dealt a further blow as Dunfermline opened the scoring. Ritchie-Hosler made his way down the right to deliver into the box for Craig Wighton, it wasn’t the cleanest shot from the striker but as the ball took a deflection off Jack Brydon it moved away from Kevin Dabrowski and landed in the net.

Queens were a bit unfortunate to find themselves behind and now chasing the game, captain Todd made his way forward and as he left the ball for Connor Murray, former Queens keeper, Deniz Mehmet came out to save.

The hosts were creating chances and a good ball into the box by McKechnie was headed back into play by Ruari Paton but there was no one up in support. It was Queens with the better chances on goal and as Gibson crossed, McKechnie’s header was saved by Mehmet.

With just over half an hour played, Paton did well to hold it up for Gibson to deliver into the box, Todd got on the end of it, but his header was turned out for a corner.

Queens certainly had more of the ball, but Dunfermline looked more of a threat in the final third. Mochrie made a run and although he looked offside, the flag stayed down and as his shot beat the defence and the keeper it flew just inches wide of the post.

A blatant pull-on Logan by Nikolay Todorov went unpunished and as the big Bulgarian got away with it Dabrowski had to make a save to stop him from extending the lead.

In the closing stages of the first half, Hendrie had a couple of chances and Murray skied one way over the bar.

HALF TIME: Queens 0 Dunfermline 1

Trailing going into the second half, Queens would’ve been looking to keep it tight, but within a minute of the restart they were further behind. As Chalmers played in a corner, Kyle Benedictus attacked the ball and with his shot on target it came off Todd’s head and the underside of the bar to beat Dabrowski.

As Queens tried to get something Logan, McKechnie and Murray all linked up down the right, but Connor’s final ball was put out for a corner.

On the hour mark, a mix up in the home defence between Logan and Brydon allowed Wighton to get the ball in for Todorov but as he went for it Dabrowski came out to clear.

The second half was proving to be a bit of a non-event although McKechnie did work his way along the 18-yard line with 15 minutes to go but he couldn’t find the space to have the shot and with six minutes left, Queens showed some good play before Hendrie’s left foot curling shot that looked to be heading for the top corner ended up just wide of the target.

The final chance of the game fell to the visitors as Paul McGowan win a free kick only for Lewis McCann to curl it wide.

FULL TIME: Queens 0 Dunfermline 2