On the back of five straight league defeats, Queens travelled just along the A75 looking to halt the run with a win over neighbours Annan. For the game, Manager Marvin Bartley made one change to the starting eleven that faced Arbroath in the cup, Gavin Reilly returned from a month-long injury to take his place up to with Lewis Gibson dropping to the bench.
It was the visitors who made the first attempt on goal, when Kieran McKechnie hit a left foot shot towards the bottom corner only for Greg Fleming to save. At the other end, Chris Johnston crossed from the right looking for Tommy Goss inside the box, but it was an easy collect for Gordon Botterill.
A minute later, McKechnie tried a snapshot from inside the box, but it was wide of the target and then Reilly looked to connect with a long ball over the top, but Fleming raced out to clear.
McKechnie was lucky to only pick up a yellow card when he was involved in an incident with Dominic Docherty. But fired up the little winger burst through, only for the ball to be cleared by Matty Douglas. And then he fired a free kick off the defensive wall.
The game was fairly scrappy and midway through the half, out of nothing Goss got on the end of a ball, but his header was again caught with ease by Botterill.
Two minutes later, the big striker again had a chance as he got on the end of Docherty from the wing, but he hit his effort well over the bar.
On the half hour mark, Queens suffered another injury blow when Jack Brydon was stretchered off the park with an ankle injury. It took Queens a bit of time to settle again after the change and as Annan enjoyed a good spell, Douglas header from Dochertys corner was saved by Botterill.
Aidan Smith did well on the left and as he crossed for Goss in the six-yard box he missed a great opportunity when he blasted the ball well over.
Eight minutes before the break, Queens looked to have taken the lead when Paul McKays header came off the inside of the post to beat Fleming, but the whistle blew for a foul.
The home side were playing the game with pace and as Goss laid the ball back to Docherty, Daniel Church was on hand to block.
Annan looked the stronger side, but Josh Todd worked his way into the box to make space before hitting a right foot shot which Fleming saved and Docherty managed to block, Kyle Doherty s rebound shot.
And two minutes before half time Queens did take the lead, when McKechnie floated a free kick into the box and Reilly beat Fleming with a glancing header.
The goal boosted Queens and as McKechnie played in Doherty, he laid the ball off to Alex Ferguson, but the youngster took too long for the first chance and ended up firing the ball wide. In the final move of the first half, Efe Ambrose made a charge forward before playing the ball wide to Jordan Houston who squared it across looking for Reilly in the middle, but the ball was cleared before the striker could connect.
HALF TIME: Annan 0 Queens 1
In the opening minutes of the second half, Douglas headed wide, and Goss couldnt capitalise on a slack clearance by Ambrose. The home side made the better start and as Benjamin Luissint made a good run, he played it out to Smith, but Ambroses clearance was better this time round.
As Queens looked to get out of their own half, Houston made a charge down the right to play it across goal, Reilly was sliding in at the post and looked certain to score but some how managed to hit it wide.
It was still Annan who were on top and as Johnston played a free kick into the box, Goss headed well over, before Smith dragged a shot wide of the near post.
Midway through the second half, McKay blocked from Docherty and as the corner came in Max Kilsby headed wide. Two minutes later, Wullie Gibson tried a shot from around 19 yards, but Botterill did well to save.
Goss again headed wide this time from close range before Jake Hutchinsons header was blocked at the other end as he got on the end of a corner from McKechnie.
McKechnie then cut inside but couldnt get his right foot shot on target.
With ten minutes to go, Annan piled on the pressure and Goss claimed for a penalty against McKay before Smiths header was wide. As Harry Cochrane lost the ball at the edge of the box, Annan made the break through Kai Nugent, he tried a shot from inside the box, but it was straight at the keeper.
Queens were having to defend but with minutes to go McKechnies free kick stung the palms of Fleming.
Annan had further chances to level, but Goss was again no where near with a header before Oscar MacIntyre, Church and Botterill all put their bodies on the line as Smith tried a header from very close range at the near post. And in added on time, the keeper sprung into action again as he made a fantastic save to tip Michael Garritys effort out for a corner.
Goss got his head on the end of the resulting set piece but couldnt direct it between the sticks and in the final chance of the game, Ferguson gave away a free-kick in front of the dugouts and the long free-kick into the box was collected by Botterill.
It wasnt pretty and Annan will feel hard done by not getting anything from the game, but its three points for Queens that brings to an end a difficult run of results.
FULL TIME: Annan 0 Queens 1