A SECOND HALF rally from Queen’s Park couldn’t avoid defeat in Dunfermline as the Spiders were sent into ninth place of the William Hill Championship.

Two first half goals from Josh Cooper and Rory MacLeod beat Jack Wills and were enough to give Neil Lennon’s side a second home win on the trot.

Both sides had taken four points from their previous two games but the Pars ensured their improved form continued with a controlled first-half display against the visitors who fought back in the second half but couldn’t beat Aston Oxborough.

From the start it was tough from the Spiders and 90 seconds in Dunfermline went inches from opening the scoring. Wills pushed a deep cross from Dylan Lobban wide but Andrew Tod sliding in sliced the effort along the goal-line when it looked easier to score.

His team would shortly afterwards and a further five minutes later Lobban’s next ball into the box was slammed into the top corner by Josh Cooper.

Nikolay Todorov was winning everything in the air – at both ends of the pitch – but the Spiders couldn’t make his knockdowns count.

They kept out the home side’s next concerted spell of pressure on the 20 minute mark with bodies on the line and Lewis Stewart scrambling a drive from Allan Oyirwoth off the line.

Good work in response from Carlo Pignatiello won a corner and a combination of Ross McLean’s head and Stewart’s lob almost sneaked the equaliser in – though the Pars keeper Aston Oxborough and Sam Cleall-Harding colliding with the post to see out the latter saw claims for a follow-up corner from the visitors.

After 26 minutes it was two for the hosts as Rory McLeod’s deflected drive sent Jack Wills the wrong way.

That’s how it stayed at half-time although four minutes from the interval Cooper went close to his second with a blast from 20yards whistling by Wills’ top corner.

Two changes at the break saw Nikolay Todorov and Louis Longridge replaced by Tyrece McDonnell and Aiden McCallion and the Spiders’ no.17 almost had a breakthrough six minutes after the restart, racing onto a clever through ball from Stewart – but Robbie Fraser was back to help Oxborough out.

The changes also brought a change in shape to 4-2-3-1 and added aggression. The Spiders grafted but Neil Lennon’s insistence his side upped the tempo proved a tough ask.

A free kick won by McLean and taken by Connolly almost gave Ricki Lamie a chance to reduce the deficit but as the Pars bundled the ball away the assistant referee raised his flag too.

Michael Ruth almost stole in just after the hour mark when a loose header back to Oxborough fell kindly but he was well marshalled by Nurudeen Abdulai.

Jack Hamilton and Ben Brannan were next to be added, soon followed by Callum Smith and after the Spiders’ final change skipper Euan Murray had a chance in front of goal but shot wide with the flag raised once again.

With time winding down the visitors had a series of corners to pressure Oxborough’s goal but none could make it past the home keeper and it wasn’t to be for Sean Crighton’s side as a win for Inverness at next week’s opponents Ayr sent the Spiders into ninth after six games played.