Queen of the South 4, Cowdenbeath 1.

SPFL Championship Attendance-1671 A POOR second-half performance from Cowdenbeath who ended up a well beaten side at Palmerston on Saturday.

There was not much in the game in the first period but after the break the promotion play-offs chasing Queen’s were totally in charge.

Cowdenbeath’s defensive work in the second-half was very ordinary as they were pulled about the park by the lively home front men and really they never looked capable of getting something out of the game.

Cowden went for the familiar midfield unit of Colin Marshall in front of the back man and Jon Robertson and Lewis Milne looking to push forward to support Sean Higgins and Robbie Buchanan, but the longer the game went the more they fell out of the picture.

It was at this stage that Queen’s started to really boss the game and the pressure increased on the Cowdenbeath defence and eventually the goals flowed.

It all added up to another defeat and with a trip to Ibrox to face Rangers coming up this weekend things are looking awkward for Cowden.

Without Dean Brett, Lewis Toshney came into the defence and Buchanan was used in an attacking role but it was Queen of the South who started strongly and efforts from Ian McShane, Gavin Reilly and Danny Carmichael all went close.

Cowden looked solid enough at this stage defensively but they were struggling to get in touch with the home side and their ‘keeper Zander Clark had little to worry him.

Queen’s were working hard and in the 26th minute they took the lead. Marc Millar created the danger with a good cross and Iain RUSSELL appeared unmarked only close in and his header gave Robbie Thomson no chance.

Queen’s had pressure for a spell on the visitors but they kept them out and with ten minutes to go to the break Cowden went close when Thomas O’Brien fired a shot from 20 yards which was only inches wide.

The single goal separated the sides at the break and the Fifers had to keep things tight at the start of the second-half to give them a platform to build on, but with only five minutes on the clock the hosts doubled their lead.

Russell did the spadework with a back-heeled pass and Michael PATON picked his spot from the left hand side of the box.

Cowden were now in trouble and Russell twice fired just off target but on the hour the Blue Brazil pulled one back.

Kevin Holt’s slackness gave HIGGINS an opening only eight yards out and he clinically fired the ball into the net.

It gave Cowden real heart and the Fifers created more chances with a shot from Kenny Adamson going just wide and then Higgins fired wide when he should have levelled things.

But Queen of the South came back strongly and in 75 minutes they got the key goal. Millar’s cross was perfect for sub Mark DURNAN, who like Russell earlier, was not picked up by the Cowden defence and he fired home.

Queen’s kept piling forward and with two minutes left they got number four when former Cowden player Derek LYLE, on as a sub, ran on to a Carmichael pass and fired the ball into the net from 15 yards out to round off another bad day for the Blues.

Queen of the South: Clark (7); Kidd (6), Holt (7); Dowie (6), Higgins (6), Millar (9) (McKenna 85 (2)); Carmichael (7), McShane (8), Reilly (7) (Lyle 60 (3)), Paton (7), Russell (Durnan 74 (3)). Subs not used, Mitchell, Atkinson, Smith and Pickard.

Cowdenbeath: Robbie Thomson (6); Lewis Toshney (6), Kenny Adamson (7); Thomas O’Brien (6), John Armstrong (6), Nat Wedderburn (6); Jon Robertson (5) (Kudus Oyenuga 77 (3)), Lewis Milne (6) (Colin Nish 71 (3)), Robbie Buchanan (5), Sean Higgins (6), Colin Marshall (6) (Declan Hughes 85 (2)). Subs not used, Darren Brownlie, Chris Kane, Kyle Miller and Jamie Sneddon.

Referee-Greg Aitken (6).