Jason Naismith and Alex Bannon were brought in from the start with Jake Davidson moving to a substitute role. Jack Thomson dropped out of things with the ineligible Jonny Kenny also missing as youngsters Archie Graham, Lewis Reid and Lennon Connolly were included in the list of replacements.

Montrose kicked off shooting towards the Cathcart Road and the Gable Endies created the first opening after 90 seconds with a cross from the right which was headed clear by Lee Kilday who was operating in a right back position.

A looped pass from one time Links Park striker Simon Murray allowed McPake to advance on the left. The ball was worked to the other side of the pitch where Thomas played in a dangerous cross with the outside of his boot however a diving visiting defender mopped up the danger.

On eight minutes Charlie Fox lost possession to Graham Webster 20 yards from his own goal and the Montrose man picked out Craig Brown who after initially being blocked created space for a shot that fizzed across the Queen’s goalmouth.

McPake looked to recreate his fine goal against Hamilton last week when he cut in from the left on 13 minutes and let fly however this time his curling shot when high over.

Within a minute it looked like Montrose would take the lead when Brown met an Andrews Steeves cross with a diving header on the six-yard line with the hosts owing a debt of gratitude to Ferrie who pulled off a fine instinctive stop.

On 19 minutes the Spiders came close when a flick from Murray released the marauding Kilday and his low cross picked out Grant Savoury who turned and cracked a shot just over the bar.

Three minutes later it was Montrose who came close to the opening goal when Rory McAllister slipped Craig Johnston through on goal with Ferrie using both hands to beat away his drive.

The opener arrived on 27 minutes and it came for the hosts thanks to the persistence of Tommy Robson on the left.

Thomas had a shot charged down and the ball spun out wide to Robson who saw his effort meet the same fate. As the ball bounced in the Montrose box Robson tackled and regained possession before slipping his way to the by-line where he fired a low cross that just eluded Murray however THOMAS was perfectly placed to take a touch before firing a left foot shot through a ruck of bodies and into the net.

Eight minutes from the break Thomas tried to add a second goal with a cheeky chip from 20 yards with visiting shot-stopper Ross Sinclair moving swiftly to his right to save.

Queen’s had Ferrie to thank for keeping Montrose out on 40 minutes with the number one dropping low to save a Kerr Waddell header from a corner before stopping McAllister’s close-range effort on the rebound.

A minute from the break Malachi Boateng, as he usually is, was in the right place at the right time to cut out a McAllister pass into a dangerous area.

Montrose were looking to level before the break and Brown unleashed a 25 yarder that Ferrie had to watch very carefully as it just whistled past his left-hand post.

In injury time Thomas picked out Savoury who looked set to fire for goal however Webster slid in and cleared the danger.

Head coach Owen Coyle made three changes at the break with Kilday, Bannon and Murray coming off with Jake Davidson, Louis Longridge and Scott Williamson coming on.

Montrose created another chance two minutes into the restart with Ferrie rising high to catch Johnston’s header with Longridge having a snap-shot for the hosts saved by Sinclair shortly afterwards.

McPake looked set to double Queen’s lead on 50 minutes when he charged into the box and slipped a shot past Sinclair with the ball clipping the far post before going wide.

Ferrie showed his worth again a minute later as he kept out a McAllister effort after the ex-Peterhead and Cove man had worked his way into the home box.

Thomas benefitted from a miscued Sean Dillon pass on 55 minutes with Sinclair forced into a diving stop after the winger looked to take advantage with a shot from 20 yards with Savoury seeing a fierce shot deflected wide not long after.

Sinclair was equal to a curling Williamson effort just after the hour mark with Coyle’s side creating another chance on 67 minutes when Savoury and Fox exchanged passes before Savoury fired just wide from the edge of the box.

Ferrie was again the home hero with 20 minutes to go when a breakaway from the visitors saw McAllister’s chipped pass release Matthew Wright clear on goal with the substitute’s shot from 16 yards blocked by the goalkeeper.

Connolly was given a run-out on the left with 13 minutes remaining and the teenager helped Queen’s put on plenty of pressure on as they chased a second goal.

With three minutes left Wright headed over Ferrie’s goal and as the hosts raced to the other end Sinclair leapt high to push over a Longridge effort.

The clincher came in injury time when McPAKE picked up a clearance, after Montrose claims for a penalty, in his own half and ran at the reduced numbers in the visiting rear-guard. McPake kept on going and after just eluding Dillon the striker sent a right foot shot into the far corner.

Queen’s Park: Calum Ferrie, Lee Kilday (Jake Davidson 46’), Jason Naismith, Charlie Fox, Tommy Robson, Malachi Boateng, Alex Bannon (Louis Longridge 46’), Dom Thomas (Lennon Connolly 77’), Grant Savoury, Josh McPake, Simon Murray (Scott Williamson 46’).  Subs not used: Cameron Bruce, Jacques Heraghty (G/k), Archie Graham, Lewis Reid, David Akrobor-Boateng.

Montrose: Ross Sinclair, Graham Webster (Blair Lyons 73’), Andrew Steeves, Sean Dillon, Kerr Waddell (Matty Allan 64’), Terry Masson, Adam MacKinnon, Liam Callaghan, Rory McAllister (Mark Whatley 73’), Craig Johnston (Matthew Wright 68’), Craig Brown (Lewis Milne 64’).  Subs not used: Aaron Lennox, Aiden Quinn, Adam Hutchison, Paul Watson

Referee: Scott Lambie