Jim McIntyre was delighted with his Queens side after virtually securing the play-offs – but refused to declare Queens were finishing fourth.

Goals from Ian McShane and Iain Russell sealed a 2-0 win for the Doonhamers in the last home league game of the season on Saturday against Livingston.

Now Dumbarton will need a 12 goal swing in their favour – as well as McIntyre’s men loosing – to steal the final play-off spot but the Queens gaffer is waiting for it to be mathematically impossible to declare his side fourth.

He said: “We’ll obviously need a capitulation next week and I think the goal difference will be enough.

“Delighted with the players as they’ve been fantastic and today is a huge three points but you’ve got to credit Dumbarton who had a fabulous result themselves today.

“Obviously it’s mathematically still possible even though it’ll be very difficult for them to overturn that goal difference.

“Saturday’s performance was great, the game was quite flat at times but we’ve got the goals at the right time and they gave us a bit of breathing space.

“It was a great result and if we do reach the play-offs it’s a great result for a newly promoted side in their first season.

“I don’t want to talk about it too much in case there are some strange results next week!”

McIntyre continued to praise his side for their success over the season but he insists that they must give their full focus to the Cowdenbeath tie next week.

The Gaffer conceded that the game could mean more to Jimmy Nicholl’s side as they fight to avoid relegation through the play-offs but McIntyre is still looking for three points.

He said: “The boys have done incredibly well this season and they deserve all the credit and all the praise, Saturday was all about getting it done and getting the three points in the bag.

“Everyone’s very positive right now and the play-offs have been the target all season after we assessed the squad at the start of the year and we felt we were good enough to push for a place in the top four.

“The run we have been on since the start of December has been fantastic as were too inconsistent at the start of the season but we’ve picked that up recently.

“The game next week is massive for Cowdenbeath as they have the chance to leapfrog Alloa so we know how difficult it’ll be as they’ll be well fired up for the game but so will we.”

Devastated Livi Boss John McGlynn was annoyed at the way his side left Palmerston with nothing to show – something he believes echoes their season.

He said: “It looks like we’ve gifted Queens two goals and other than that there wasn’t a lot in it because I feel like it wasn’t a good game.

“Queens have punished us and we come away with nothing, it’s been a frustrating season.”                     

Queens now travel to Cowdenbeath for next week’s final SPFL Championship fixture and – barring a freak result in the game between Dundee and Dumbarton – McIntyre’s men will find out who they face in the play-offs after the match.

• Check back tomorrow for an interview with goalscorer Ian McShane