Queen of the South created some breathing room as they opened up a seven-point gap over the sides in the relegation positions with a 2-0 win over Cowdenbeath at Central Park. 

The horrible weather conditions made slick, flowing football almost impossible but it was the Dumfries side who overcame them the better to grab all three points. 

Cowdenbeath were enjoying an upturn in form coming into the match and they started the stronger before Queens grew into the contest and took a deserved lead moments before half-time as Cowdenbeath `keeper Grant Adam spilled Iain Russell`s shot into the path of Paul Burns.  With the wind and rain combining with a boggy pitch the second half was not one for the purists but Queens managed to wrap up the points as Derek Lyle set up Russell for an easy tap in after 63 minutes.

Queens manager Jim McIntyre said: “I thought we did the ugly side of the game really well today because it was horrible conditions but I thought we were very difficult to break down and really limited Cowdenbeath to very little.

“I didn`t think there was going to be great football played by either side because Cowdenbeath can play as well – they did so at our place earlier in the season.  We knew it was a roll-your-sleeves-up day and had to get stuck in and I thought we played the conditions better.

“It widens the gap between Cowdenbeath and ourselves but to be quite honest I`ve been looking up the way rather than down and we`ve got a game in hand and if we win that then all of a sudden we`re four points off fourth place so that`s the way you`ve got to view it.”

Derek Lyle led the line after starting the last few matches on the bench and he set up the second goal as he unselfishly gave Russell an open goal when he could have gone for goal himself.

He said: “We knew it was going to be difficult coming here, it`s never easy and playing football today was never going to be the plan for both teams.  The pitch was horrible and the conditions were horrible so it was good to get in and out with three points because it`s a difficult place to come.”

Russell thanks Lyle for the set up for a tap in