After a long trip north last weekend it was back to Palmerston and the visit of Alloa Athletic. Manager, Peter Murphy made three changes to the starting eleven that faced Cove Rangers. With Jack Brydon and Brennan Dickenson both picking up injuries in the game against Paul Hartley?s side, they missed out along with Kyle Doherty who dropped to the bench. Kai Kennedy, Lewis O?Donnell and Jordan Allan all started instead.

With Alloa sitting fourth in the table, this was a massive game in terms of play-off hopes and it was Queens who hit the ground running. Eight minutes in, Adam Brooks collected the ball on the left and played it in to Allan, the striker skipped into the box and continued to open up space but as he hit a right foot shot it flew the wrong side of the post.

It was a great chance missed but they did take the lead two minutes later when Liam Smith outpaced Stefan Scougall to send the ball across the face of goal, as the ball came back out it fell to O?Donnell who didn?t hit the cleanest strike but it was enough to beat PJ Morrison at the near post.

Queens were dominant and not giving the visitors a minutes peace and with quarter of an hour played, Brooks was fouled outside the box but as the game played on, Benji Luissint was unlucky with a shot that was again just the wrong side of the upright.

The home side maintained the pressure and Smith and Brooks played a great one-two with the former getting inside the box only for the keeper to come out to take the ball away from his feet.

Within sixty seconds Allan had a couple of chances, goal-scorer, O?Donnell set up the first, only for the keeper to block and with the rebound the frontman couldn?t get enough spin on the ball and it flew straight across the target.

It was game where you hoped Queens wouldn?t pay the price for missed opportunities but midway through the half, they did double the advantage when Jack Hannah made a terrific run before Smith kept the ball low and fired the ball across the keeper into the bottom corner.

Two minutes later, Oscar MacIntyre had a claim for a penalty when he was nudged just inside the box but referee Stewart Luke wasn?t having it and played on.

The visitors hadn?t been in the game but on the half hour mark, Ross Stewart was called into action and pulled off a strong one handed save to deny Morgan Neill. As Queens hit on the counter, a cross in was cleared by Dave McKay just as Allan was about to connect.

Despite controlling the game, Queens suffered a blow seven minutes before the break when The Wasps pulled one back. Josh Gentles played the ball in from the left and as Stewart committed himself Luke Rankin was on hand to finish.

In the closing stages of the first half, MacIntyre made a great run down the wing and cut the ball back for Brooks who had showed his support but Scougall cleared the danger. And with the final chance of the opening forty-five, Kennedy hit a free-kick just wide of the post.

HALF TIME ? Queens 2 Alloa Athletic 1

Three minutes after the restart, Scougall looked to get his side level when he turned at the edge of the 18-yard line but his shot was just over the bar.

And two minutes later, it was Queens who extended their lead with a well worked goal. As the ball was played from their own half, Smith was on his own on the right and as he cut inside, he played it out to Kennedy who used the outside of his right boot to beat Morrison for a sweet finish.

The visitors tried to get back into the game and Gentles did well to win the ball but his shot was wild and well over. And within a minute they were back on the attack when Kurtis Roberts had a chance from inside the box after Queens were trying to pass the ball out, but he shot straight at Stewart.

It was a good wee spell for Andy Graham?s men and as Gentles got on the end of it, his effort was turned out for a corner.

But it didn?t take Queens long to regain the upper hand and MacIntyre showed some brilliant play to beat three defenders to get the ball into the box but his final shot was blocked.

With twenty minutes remaining, Alloa did pull one back in controversial style. As Brooks was taken out at the edge of the box, the foul wasn?t given, allowing the visitors the chance to play on. Gentles shot was well saved by Stewart but the ball spun to Rankin who forced the ball over the line for his and Alloa?s second of the game.

It was a nervy end to the game as, on the ninety, Luissint made a challenge to stop Cammy O?Donnell getting his cross into the box and deep in added on time, the ball was played into the box, Queens had a couple of chances to clear but didn?t properly until Reece Lyon booted it away.

Overall, it was a great performance from Queens to move them back to within two points of the play off places with seven games to go.

FULL TIME ? Queens 3 Alloa Athletic 2