Inverness Caledonian Thistle were the visitors to Palmerston for our league one fixture. In the one change to the starting eleven from the side that faced East Fife last weekend, Ben Johnstone replaced the injured Benji Luissint in midfield.

The visitors were quick out of the blocks and with just three minutes played Alfie Stewart rattled a shot off the underside of the crossbar. It was an early warning for Queens but with the Caley Jags moving the ball around quickly they were up against it and just five minutes later they found themselves behind. Matty Douglas cleared Liam Sole’s effort but as the ball was played back in to the back post Chanka Zimba managed to flick the ball past Ross Stewart from close range.

All the early chances were coming against the hosts and as a corner was floated in, David Wotherspoon was at the near post to head across goal but Queens managed to clear.

Inverness were a very good side and midway through the half, Wotherspoon fired the ball across goal but Mikey Hewitt cleared ahead of Sole.

Goalmouth attempts for Queens had been at a Premium but as Hewitt headed the ball on for Kurtis Guthrie the big striker tried to backheel the ball into the net but he couldn’t get enough on it and the visitors went again. As they broke up the park, Stewart made a double save firstly to stop Calum McLeod’s shot from distance and then Zimba’s rebounded effort.

It was hard going for Queens but they were doing well to keep the score at one and with just over half an hour gone, Jack Stott played in a free-kick that was headed down into the path of Liam Smith, as the Caley defense closed ranks, the winger had little space, he did try a shot but it was blocked. The loose ball fell nicely for Guthrie but he couldn’t find a way through either.

Back at the other end, Hewitt made another clearance out for a corner as Sole closed in on a cross from the right.

With the home side starting to become more of an attacking threat the Highlanders were cute as they picked up bookings for professional fouls to nullify any breaks. Remi Savage was first to be shown the yellow card before Danny Devine followed him into the book for taking out Smith. From the resulting Kai Kennedy free-kick, Guthrie headed over what was a decent chance for Queens.

As Caley broke again, Stewart kept it at one-nil as he tipped a great strike from Wotherspoon over the bar.

In the final five minutes of the first half, Macleod and Joe Chalmers took the booking tally for the visitors to four as they continued their tactics to halt any Queens threat. As they hit on the counter, Sole looked to be offside but the flag stayed down, on his own with only the keeper to beat, he dragged his shot wide of the upright.

As Queens looked to get level before the break, Jack Hannah made a great run down the left wing but his cross come shot landed on the roof of the net.

As half time loomed, Taylor Charters lost the ball just inside their half, Stewart broke and as he homed in on goal his namesake came off his line to make a great save with his feet and as the ball broke for Luis Longstaff, Reece Lyon made a timely challenge inside the box to clear.

In added on time, Oscar MacIntyre was lucky he only picked up a yellow card for a challenge on Stott.

HALF TIME: Queens 0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1

Two minutes after the restart Stewart punched clear from Stewart and made another block to keep the visitors out. As Stewart was judged to have been fouled by Hannah at the edge of the box, Sole was given an opportunity from a set-piece but as he kept it low, Stewart saw it all the way and made an easy collection.

As Queens worked their way back into the game, Guthrie got on the end of a long ball and sent a looping header just onto the roof of the net. But Inverness were a constant threat and just before the hour mark, Longstaff hit a shot off the underside of the bar that came off the back of Stewart and onto the base of the post.

It was a let off and kept Queens in it and as Smith worked his way forward, he took a touch too many as he looked to open up a space. He then had a left foot shot blocked on the 18-yard line by Devine before Hannah’s right foot shot from 35-yards was just wide of the post.

Midway through the half, Stewart’s free-kick was well taken by Stewart before Hewitt delivered a good ball into the area, the ball fell behind Guthrie but fell for Johnstone, it was an awkward ball for the 21-year-old but he did well to get the shot away.

It was a good spell for Queens and with fifteen minutes remaining Kennedy played in a free-kick, Guthrie met it with a header but was denied by the woodwork. As the ball came back into play, Stott hit the rebound only for Savage to clear off the line.

Stewart then hit a shot high and wide before Longstaff hit his low effort from inside the box just wide.

It had been a better second half from Queens but as they pushed everyone forward looking for an equalizer, including goalkeeper Stewart, the visitors made a break. Hannah made a great challenge at the half way line to halt the attack but the ball broke to Longstaff inside his own half and with an empty goal as his target he launched a shot straight down the middle into the net from a good 60-yards to secure the points with the last kick of the game.

FULL TIME: Queens 0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2