Queens Team:
1 L Robinson, 2 C Reid, 3 R Harris, 4 N Macfarlane, 5 M Lancaster, 6 J Thomson, 7 B Wilson, 8 N Scally, 9 S O'Connor, 10 S Dobbie, 11 P Burns Subs: 12 B Halliwell, 14 S Tosh, 15 J McQuilken, 16 D Weatherston, 17 C Barr

Partick Thistle:
1 J Tuffey, 2 S Storey, 3 M Twaddle, 4 P Paton, 5 J Robertson, 6 A Archibald, 7 K McKinlay, 8 D Rowson, 9 K Doolan, 10 S Donnelly, 11 G Harkins Subs: 12 C Hinchcliffe, 14 W Kinniburgh, 15 S Chaplain, 16 I Maxwell, 17 L Akins

Referee: Mike McCurry

Gordon Chisholm made another four changes to his side for the crucial trip to face Ian McCall's Thistle. One was enforced with Stewart Kean unavailable due to injury. Sean O'Connor again patched himself together to start up front in Kean's absence. The other three changes saw Tosh, McQuilken and Barr dropped to the bench to be replaced with Macfarlane, Scally and Craig Reid as a winning formula was sought. Thistle were without the dangerous Liam Buchanan but otherwise at full strength for the clash that could be even more important to them as they try to reel in St Johnstone at the top.

The home side started brightly with Kevin McKinlay going close twice in the opening five minutes before, in Queens first foray forward, Jonny Tuffey was injured in a clash with Paul Burns. He was able to continue after treatment though. Despite Thistle's bright start though it was Queens who grabbed a spectacular lead in 12 minutes. A corner from the right wasn't cleared properly when Macfarlane lifted it back in and Stephen Dobbie controlled the ball with his right instantly and fired into the roof of the net from 20 yards with his left. It was a simply stunning strike. Shortly afterward though Martyn Lancaster picked up a knock and was unable to continue. He was replaced by Craig Barr.

Midway through the half the dangerous Dobbie almost doubled his tally but was denied by a decent Tuffey save from 18 yards and on 34 minutes another mis-hit Dobbie shot presented Wilson with a virtual open goal at the back post. Somehow he contrived to slide the ball past the post from five yards out though. Kevin McKinlay picked up a booking shortly after for dissent. Just before the interval Tuffey fumbled a corner, presenting a chance to Barr but he scuffed his shot with his wrong foot and the keeper recovered his ground to save. At the other end though in the final minute, Jim Thomson went down following a corner and had to be stretchered off the park. Jamie McQuilken was his replacement, with Bob Harris moving inside to centre half. There was still time though for Tuffey to deny Dobbie again and then Marc Twaddle to miss a great chance at the other end before the whistle.

Sean O'Connor managed only five minutes of the second half before Stevie Tosh replaced him, completing the Queens changes for the day. And seconds later an incredible development when, with his first touch, Tosher lobbed the ball over Tuffey from 20 yards to double the lead. In the aftermath Thistle replaced Donnelly with Chaplain and just before the hour Lucas Akins replaced McKinlay. Thistle completed their own changes on 65 minutes when Ian Maxwell replaced David Rowson.

Paul Burns was booked for a cynical trip of Harkins as he burst through the midfield on 66 minutes. Harkins himself though talked himself into the book 10 minutes later as the frustrations amongst the home players grew. On 79 minutes brilliant work along the bye-line by Dobbie set up a chance for Wilson who blasted the ball against Tuffey from 12 yards out. As he went for the rebound Wilson appeared to be clearly fouled but Mr McCurry waved away penalty appeals. With five minutes left Neil Macfarlane picked up a knock that meant he saw the time out virtually immobile whilst Wilson also limped his way through the last 20 minutes but this was a day for wounded warriors. In the face of adversity there were absolutely no failures in the fourteen men on the park. Players asked to do jobs other than their usual did them heroically, helped somewhat by Thistle's general ineffectiveness, In the end it was a fantastic, and vital, three points.

For all of the photos from the game today click on the link http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/queenofthesouthfc