Looking to keep up the pressure at the top of the table, Queens welcomed fellow promotion chasers Alloa Athletic to Palmerston. With several players carrying knocks, manager Peter Murphy made two changes to the side, Jack Hannah who missed the game at Cove after his head injury against Inverness returned to the back-line in place of Niall Rogerson and there was a start from Brennan Dickenson who took the place of Jack Stott.

It didn’t get off to the best start for the hosts as within ten seconds of kick-off Benji Luissint went down and required treatment as he clashed with Hannah in an attempt to clear the ball. Thankfully both players were able to continue and as the game got back underway Mikey Hewitt got on the end of a good move but as he aimed low, Scott Taggart cleared. From the resulting corner played in by Kai Kennedy, Brennan Dickenson got his head of the end of it but again the visitors cleared.

Queens were on the attack and as Dickenson played the ball on to Liam Smith, he in turn found Taylor Charters on the by-line he managed to take the shot but Liam McFarlane got down to save.

Still on the front foot Smith got the better of Dave McKay on the left and as he crossed into the area, Reece Lyon nodded the ball towards goal, it came off Kurtis Guthrie before Taggart hooked his clearance off the woodwork.

As the Wasps grew into the game, Josh Gentles picked up the ball outside the box but his shot was weak and Ross Stewart made an easy save.

Queens still had the better chances and as Kennedy hit a low shot from the left, McFarlane saved at the front post to keep it out. And midway through the first half, Guthrie made a run, he had Dickenson up in support but the Alloa defenders got back to crowd him out before he could deliver the pass. They continued to push and Lyon’s cross from inside the box fell behind Guthrie.

They’d created plenty but hadn’t converted and paid the price with 27 minutes played when Stefan Scougall played a reverse pass in for Luke Donnelly, Matty Douglas was caught out and the striker was left on his own to pick his spot. Stewart tried to put him off but went down early and Donnelly opened the scoring when he lifted the ball over the top of the keeper and into the net.

Two minutes later, Kennedy cut inside and hit a low powerful shot wide of the post. With just over half an hour played, the same player was back inside the box in the center of goal but this time McFarlane stopped his shot.

Alloa made a break and Gentles had a shot blocked before Queens hit back and as Kennedy lifted the ball into the box from the right, it was too far ahead of Dickenson and Guthrie couldn’t connect. Queens were still the stronger side and as they passed it around, Dickenson and Guthrie linked up to get it into the box but Charlie Dewar cleared. His header wasn’t clean and as the ball fell to Lyon, he kept the attack alive by playing it back outside the box to Kennedy, as he crossed it back in, Guthrie went for the header but was put off by the challenge. It still wasn’t cleared and Kennedy again tried to get it through and Lyon and Charters also had attempts but no one could get past a solid defense.

In the closing stages of the first half, Gentles hit one over the bar before Dickenson was too high with his left foot effort. Guthrie then did the hard part to get the ball across but his delivery was cut out before it could reach Dickenson. Smith had the final chance before the interval but from the right his shot was high over the bar.

HALF TIME: Queens 0 Alloa Athletic 1

With Luissint now struggling to see out of his eye from the early head clash, he was replaced at the interval along with Charters as they made way for Stott and Zander Mackenzie. In the opening minute after the restart, Hewitt played the ball in from the right but as Guthrie lined up a shot, Dewar blocked.

It was another positive start to the second half by Queens and as Kennedy got the ball into the box, Dewar again cleared. As Hewitt broke up play, he found Smith out wide as he twisted and turned, he won his side a free kick. Dickenson aimed high but McFarlane punched clear.

The move wasn’t over as from Hewitt’s throw in Guthrie headed the ball down to Lyon who from eight-yards headed the ball past McFarlane at his near post to draw Queens level.

As Alloa looked to regain their advantage, Kurtis Roberts hit a right foot shot that Stewart collected without a problem and Douglas blocked a left foot effort from Gentles at the edge of the area.

Dewar was proving to be a thorn in the side of Kennedy and again the defender cleared. Before Roberts headed clear Guthrie’s header as it looked destined for the net. As the ball was played back in by Hewitt, Dickenson’s header was turned out for a corner. Kennedy floated it in for Lyon who headed just wide.

With the hour mark approaching, Dickenson did well to get the ball into the six-yard area for Guthrie who took it on his chest before volleying it, he caught it well but it was too close to the keeper who made himself big. Sixty seconds later, Dickenson broke up the attack and picked out Kennedy to his left, as the ball was played in it got caught under the feet of Stott but he did manage to get the ball out to Hewitt who got a shot away but it lacked power and the keeper collected.

Alloa were good on the counter and as Donnelly homed in on goal, Douglas put him under enough pressure that the striker lifted his shot over the bar. Back at the other end, Guthrie hit a right foot shot from outside the box that was just wide of the target.

It was to be his last contribution as he instantly made way for Nicky Clark who made his return to the field after 13-years away. However, it was Dickenson who was to come close to scoring when he took the ball on his right foot before shooting with his left but he was just the wrong side of the post.

Queens then lost Hewitt to a hamstring injury and it was his replacement Rogerson who has been excellent for the side this season so far that got caught out. His mistimed header was nodded on for Gentles who hooked the ball over the top of Douglas into the path of Roberts who controlled it well before volleying it past Stewart with six minutes remaining.

The home side desperately tried to rescue a point and Kennedy and Clark linked up on the left but as Kai looked to play in Nicky, he couldn’t connect and the ball rolled out for a goal-kick. In added on time, Mackenzie did well on the touchline but as he looked to get the ball forward the danger was cut out.

Queens were passing it around looking to open up space but Alloa defended strong and ran down the clock. Deep into stoppage time, MacKenzie won a free-kick and with everybody forward, including keeper, Stewart, Kennedy aimed for the box but Stewart over hit the return pass and the move came to an end.

Having dropped five points in their last two games, Queens have lost ground on the top two and will need a win at Montrose next week to get back on track.

FULL TIME: Queens 1 Alloa 2