Heading into the final quarter of the season it was the short trip along the A75 for a local derby against Annan. With Jack Brydon injured, Paul McKay returned to the defence with Joel Mumbongo making his first start at the expense of Craig McGuffie who dropped to the bench.
Nine minutes in, Cammy Logan skipped a challenge to make his way into the box but as he lined up the shot, Matty Douglas blocked for a corner. From that Queens forced another and as Lee Connelly played it in Josh Galloway headed it out for a throw in, but the home side managed to clear.
It was the visitors who had started better and with quarter of an hour gone, Connelly got into the box after good play, but Tommy Muir headed away.
The hosts were trying to find Aidan Smith on the left but were over hitting it and the ball was being played out much to their frustration.
As Queens continued to play in Annans half, Alex Ferguson appeared to be pushed in the box, but nothing was given and then a right foot cross from Logan on the wing, was headed just the wrong side of the near post by Mumbongo.
Midway through the half, Annan started to find their feet and with their first real chance, a short corner was played to Wullie Gibson who forced a good save from Harry Stone. And just two minutes later they took the lead when Oscar MacIntyre made his way to the by-line and managed to cross for Tommy Goss who was in space at the back post to head home the opener.
Queens tried to hit back instantly and Mumbongo and Ferguson combined to get a cross in before Connelly tried to catch it on the volley, but it was blocked at the edge of the box.
On the half hour mark, Connelly chased down the ball and instead of taking the shot, played it to Mumbongo on his right but Greg Fleming raced out to collect at his feet.
Missed chances proved costly when Annan doubled their lead. Gibson floated a free kick into the six-yard box and Douglas got on the end of it to head past Stone.
At the other end, Connellys free kick was too far ahead of Kyle McClelland. Before Connelly did well to control the ball and made his way into the box to shoot but Fleming pulled off another good save. As the corner was played in it was headed back out to Josh Todd but his low shot was wide.
Queens were struggling with the physical challenge, but they did have the final chance of the first half, but Mumbongos right foot shot was straight at Fleming.
HALF TIME: Annan Athletic 2 Queens 0
Three minutes into the second half, Ferguson hit a right foot effort from distance wide of the upright. But Annan came out with determination and made it hard for Queens and as the ball was hooked onto the top of the bar McKay and McClelland collided as they looked to clear.
Goss then hit a low shot that Stone turned wide.
Substitute Harvey Walker was muscled out in the box by Galloway before Douglas fired one over the bar and Goss hit a right foot shot well past the post and one over. Heading into the final fifteen minutes, Kieran McKechnie was trying to be too fancy on the by-line instead of clearing and was robbed by Gibson who set up Smith, but Walker cleared.
Kyle Doherty played the ball across goal, but Gavin Reilly was too far back to connect. However, the striker did pull one back when he scored the best goal of the game. Walker did well on the wing before playing it to Reilly who fired high into the net from outside the box.
It lifted Queens and as Doherty broke to play in Reilly the defenders blocked.
Queens put everything into the final ten minutes, but it was too late, and Annan secured the win.
FULL TIME: Annan Athletic 2 Queens 1