St Johnstone kept up the pressure on the first division leaders with a well deserved 3-1 victory over Queen of South.
Manger Owen Coyle said: " I felt we should have had the game wrapped up by the interval. We were very much in command and although a bit shaken when they equalised, the lads recovered well to get back in front."
It took Saints just four minutes to hit the net when a corner was headed down to Steve Milne and he lashed it into the net.
After 25 minutes Queens levelled when Brian McLaughlin rushed in to sweep a cross into the net.
Three minutes later, however, the scorer brought down Goran Stanic and Paul Sheerin restored the Saints lead from the spot.
They went further ahead after 66 minutes when Sheerin latched on to a long upfield pass and cracked in a shot which the keeper could only parry on to the bar and the striker latched on to the rebound.
Queens manager Iain Scott was disappointed by the performance of his side, but admitted: "Saints are a good outfit and I reckon they will be among the front runners at the end of the day."