A late goal finally sealed the points for Queen’s after a stunning goal from Mark McKenzie had brought us back into the game midway through the second half.

There was one change to the starting line up which had beaten Stirling Albion the previous week with Dean Brett taking over from the injured Mark Baxter.

The Doonhamers took the lead with the game only three minutes old when a clearance from the Cowden defence fell into the path of former Central Parker Holmes who slotted the ball to Paul Burns, with the Cowden defence appealing for offside, he fired a low angled shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Queen’s dominated the opening half and another pass from Holmes saw McLaren close in on goal only to be denied by Hay.

As the second period opened McLaren found himself with another good chance on goal 20 yards out but with only Hay to beat he shot wide of the target.

Hay was again the Cowden hero soon after when he tipped a Lilley header over the bar following a McLaren corner.

The visitors eventually added a second goal after 54 minutes when McLaren broke free from Winter and squared the ball to Derek Holmes to tap the ball into an empty net from a few yards out.

The introduction of subs Fairbairn and Robertson seemed to bring Cowden back to life and we should have pulled a goal back when Ramsay nodded a McKenzie delivery back across the face of the Queen’s goal with Dempster sliding in but the big striker agonisingly failed to connect with the ball.

We did eventually pull a goal back in 65 minutes when Marc McKenzie picked up the ball 35 yards out and unleashed a shot which flew into the top corner of the visitors net.

Soon after we almost grabbed an equaliser when Cameron reacted quickest to a bouncing goal in the visitor’s box but his header from 12 yards went over the bar.

The visitors however secured the points with four minutes to go when Ryan McGuffie slotted home from close range following a McLaren cross.

A minute later a little gloss was taken off the visitors win when Lilley, who had been booked minutes earlier, picked up a second booking for a foul on Dempster and was sent off by referee Somers.

McLaren of the visitors was also booked in the first half for a foul on Sibanda.

To follow.