Queens Keep Up Their Playoff Challenge

 

 

Queen of the South retained their three-point advantage over Hibernian with a home Scottish Championship win over Raith Rovers.

John Baird struck from outside the penalty area to give third-place Queens a first-half lead.

Mark Stewart almost equalised for Raith in the second half when his low shot struck the frame of the goal.

Gavin Reilly converted Derek Lyle's low cross to double the home side's lead late on.

The result moves James Fowler's side to within four points of Rangers in Scotland's second tier.

Fine goalkeeping by David McGurn prevented the home side from taking an early lead.

First, the stopper got down to his right to keep out Chris Higgins' low shot from Ian McShane's free-kick.

McShane eventually retrieved the ball and curled it towards the right-hand post only to see McGurn tip the shot wide.

Baird did find the net when he took down a long ball, set himself in front of the Raith defence and blasted past McGurn.

Mark Durnan's second-half header bounced over the Raith Rovers crossbar before the visitors came very close to levelling.

Stewart raced away on the left and slammed a shot against Zander Clark's near post.

And soon Queens were further ahead as Reilly knocked Lyle's centre off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.