Efe Ambrose and Paul McKay both returned to the starting line up for the visit of Montrose with Kieran McKechnie and Kyle Doherty dropping to the bench in the two changes the Manager made from the Edinburgh City game.
Captain Harry Cochrane had an early opportunity, but his low shot was blocked. There was little goalmouth action in the opening quarter of the game, and it wasnt until midway through the half that Cammy Gill was tested again.
In the best chance of the game so far, Gavin Reilly had a shot blocked by the keeper but as it spun over the top of the goalie and headed for the net, Luke Graham was on hand to clear it off the line.
Queens did make a breakthrough on 27 minutes when Lee Connelly made his way to the by-line and from a very tight angle hit a low shot into the far corner to give the home side the lead.
Connelly was up for it and two minutes later showed some tricky footwork to create an opening on the right-hand side, but his final effort ended up wide of the target.
In injury time added on at the end of the first half, Gordon Botterill saved a close range shot from Kane Hester. The rebounded shot was blocked on the line by Max Kilsby, in the stramash it looked like handball but despite protests by the visitors referee Calum Scott turned down the penalty claim.
HALF TIME: Queens 1 Montrose 3
Montrose came out fighting after the break and put the home defence under pressure. They stood up to the challenge until they gave away a free kick at the edge of the box on the hour mark and Michael Gardyne hit a right foot shot over the static wall past Botterill to pull them level.
As Queens looked to regain the advantage, Connelly slipped a good ball through for Reilly, but the striker was offside and ten minutes after their equaliser it was the visitors who took the lead.
A lack of communication between Botterill and Kilsby lead to the keeper making a challenge inside the box giving the ref no other option than pointing to the spot. Graham Webster stepped up to hit a right foot shot low to the keepers right.
Queens didnt learn from it and within five minutes another poor defensive judgement, as three players failed to cut out the danger, a fourth, Ambrose left his leg dangling to bring down Blair Lyons to give Webster a second chance from the penalty spot. This time he picked out the opposite corner to fire the ball past Botterill.
Doherty came off the bench to join Joel Mumbongo up top to give Queens more of a threat and with ten minutes remaining the latter turned to hit a right foot shot towards goal, but it cleared the crossbar.
The big striker did find the net two minutes later, when he got on the end of a perfect cross into the box from the left by Kilsby to side foot the ball over the line.
Up against it Queens tried to salvage something from the game and Jack Brydon had a low shot from distance saved by Gill and with the last kick of the game Craig McGuffie hit his free kick off the wall.
FULL TIME: Queens 1 Montrose 3