David Boateng was handed his first start as was Jonny Kenny with Jake Davidson and Scott Williamson occupying places on the substitutes’ bench against a host Hamilton side that included former Spiders Michael Doyle and Dario Zanatta.

After a minutes silence, was impeccably observed, Queen’s kicked off shooting into the opposite end to where the club supporters were based and skipper Simon Murray was soon involved as he made a charging run up the pitch and it took a crunching but fair challenge from Accies captain Brian Easton to halt his progress.

Murray was in action again with three minutes gone as he wriggled clear on the right however his low shot failed to trouble Ryan Fulton.

Number nine Kenny came within inches of a goal on nine minutes when Grant Savoury took advantage of two Accies colliding to roll the ball into his path. The on-loan Celtic striker drilled a low shot past Fulton from 20 yards however his effort fizzed an inch past.

Visitor appeals for a penalty on 15 minutes were waved aside after Kenny tumbled in the box chasing a Jack Thomson pass with Eze stepping in with a perfectly timed tackle shortly afterwards after Matthew Shiels had threatened to set up Jean Pierre Tiehi for a tap-in.

David Boateng picked up a yellow card midway through the first half for a jersey pull deep inside the home half on Dan O’Reilly.

On 24 minutes the Queen’s goal had a charmed life twice in quick succession as Zanatta drilled a low shot against the inside of the post from the edge of the box with Ferrie making a fantastic one-handed leaping save to his left as Andy Winter won a scramble for the loose ball and tried his luck from close range.

Dom Thomas looked to make a breakthrough at the other end with half an hour gone with a shot that ran along the artificial surface before being saved by the diving Fulton.

The hosts’ goalkeeper was grasping thin air a minute later from a Kenny shot following a lightning break however for a second time the ball whistled wide with Kenny going close once more following a period of sustained pressure.

Three minutes before the break the quick feet of Thomas won a free-kick 20 yards out and the deadlock was broken from the dead ball.

Grant Savoury curled over the defensive wall only to see his effort kiss the underside of the bar. As both sets of fans peered to see if the ball had gone in MURRAY dived in to flick the ball back towards goal where further confusion was created over whether the ball had gone in this time before the stand-side linesman stepped in to confirm that it had with both players having a good case to say that they had scored.

Accies almost levelled before the 45 minutes was over with a fierce shot that flashed into Ferrie’s side net.

Head Coach Owen Coyle appeared to be mindful of the booking that David Boateng picked up in the first half and made a switch for the start of the second half with Davidson coming on for the full back.

Ferrie was called into action twice in the first three minutes of the restart with the shot-stopper saving from Lewis Smith and Shiels with Zanatta firing wide as Accies pushed for a quick-fire leveller.

A goal did come on 52 minutes however it was at the other end as SAVOURY definitely got his name on the score-sheet. Substitute Davidson was the creator with a run and pass from the right with Savoury turning away from his marker and slotting high into the net.

The hosts looked to get a foothold in the game quickly after this set-back with Stephen Eze getting in the way of a dangerous cross with his deflection hitting the outside of the post before being cleared.

Just after the hour mark Davidson teed up Kenny and it looked like he had broken his duck however his shot struck an outstretched defensive leg and went past for a corner.

Hamilton kept on pushing and probing with Ferrie keeping his goal intact 16 minutes from time when he rushed outwards and took the ball off an opponents’ toe.

Eze looked to be coming off after picking up a knock however the big defender eventually shrugged it off and returned to the pitch to continue playing his part in keeping his goal intact.

Ferrie also played his part with a fine diving stop from Winter with three minutes left with the Hamilton man’s misfortune in front of goal continuing as he slid in and saw a close range shot deflected wide.

Queen’s Park: Calum Ferrie, David Boateng (Jake Davidson 46′), Lee Kilday, Stephen Eze, Tommy Robson, Grant Savoury, Jack Thomson, Malachi Boateng, Dom Thomas (Lewis Moore 90+2′), Jonny Kenny, (Scott Williamson 67′), Simon Murray (Joshua McPake 82′).  Subs not used: Jacques Heraghty (G/k), Jason Naismith, Liam Brown, Alex Bannon, Pat Jarrett.

Hamilton Academical: Ryan Fulton, Michael Doyle (Reegan Mimnaugh 57′), Matthew Shiels, Dan O’Reilly, Brian Easton, Scott Martin, Dario Zanatta (Lucas De Bolle 71′), Lewis Smith (Jonny Ngandu 80′), Jean Pierre Tiehi (Ryan One 57′), Andy Winter, Steve Lawson

Subs not used: Jamie Smith (G/k), Ellis Brown, Fergus Owens, Chris McGinn,

Referee: Graham Grainger