For game 36 of the Championship Season Head Coach Owen Coyle made two changes with Dom Thomas restored to the starting line-up with Louis Longridge making way. Scott Williamson suffered an injury during the week and he dropped out of the squad with Josh McPake returning to action from the first whistle and Lewis Moore taking a place on the substitutes’ bench.

Queen’s Jack Thomson kicked off what was a pulsating 45 minutes with the midfielder stamping his mark on proceedings 30 seconds later with a finely timed sliding tackle deep into the Dundee half.

In three minutes, the game saw the first chance as Lyall Cameron picked up on a Charlie Fox clearance and shot wide.

A minute later the hosts found themselves behind in unfortunate circumstances as Malachi Boateng slipped in his own box and that allowed Cameron to tee up Alex Jakubiak to sweep home from eight yards.

On eight minutes Connor Shields was fouled out on the left wing and Dom Thomas took the dead ball and launched it on top of Adam Legzdins who palmed it over for a corner.

Thomas took this one short to McPake and when his cross was only partially cleared FOX turned and hit a fantastic first half shot high into the Dundee net from 25 yards – a superb goal.

Three minutes later it got even better for the Spiders as another Thomas corner caused mayhem and after the ball bounced around the six-yard box CONNOR SHIELDS hooked home to make it 2-1.

The hosts’ lead was also short-lived as Dundee drew level on 16 minutes when a long ball to the back post was headed down to Lee Ashcroft who ignored offside appeals to volley past Calum Ferrie.

On 20 minutes Ferrie kept the score-line even as he dropped on the ball and clutched it following a scramble after a free-kick had been launched into the Queen’s box.

Midway through the half Dundee struck the woodwork after a Cameron shot deflected into the path of Ashcroft who sent a shot down into the turf and up onto the bar.

On 26 minutes McPake and Shields combined acrobatically to release Grant Savoury however the ball ran away from the attacker and the danger was over.

A foul on Thomas 19 yards out gave Savoury a shooting chance however the Dundee wall blocked his curling effort.

Twelve minutes from half-time Queen’s found themselves behind again when it looked like Fox had been fouled in an aerial joust and Zach Robinson won a race with Ferrie and scrambled a shot over the line.

Queen’s finally looked to have settled and enjoyed a good spell ahead of possession before and after the half hour mark with Marcel Oakley and McPake willing workers on the wings although they were not making much headway.

Thirty seconds from the break Lee Kilday released Shields and the attacker won a corner that Legzdins pushed past at the back post for another flag-kick.

This time Queen’s did make headway as Thomas’ low skimming effort was headed home by a diving FOX to see the opening 45 minutes end 3-3.

At the start of the second half Shields was denied by Legzdins who flicked out a hand to turn his close range shot over.

Dundee took the lead for a third time on 54 minutes when Luke McCowan twisted and turned before slipping a pass to Cameron who picked his spot behind Ferrie and found it.

Queen’s looked to hit back again and just after the hour mark Shields, Oakley and Thomas combined with a delightful curling cross from Thomas going unconverted.

A poor challenge on Thomson gave Savoury another chance to try for goal from a free-kick with Legzdins doing well when he dived to his left to tip away the attacker’s dead ball.

Dundee were giving little away in the second half however Thomas showed that Queen’s were still in the game with a low 20 yarder that slipped just wide with 20 minutes left.

As Dundee looked to seal the win Fox did well to head away a McCowan drive however Ferrie produced one, in fact, two of the saves of the season as he blocked a fierce drive from Kwame Thomas and then leapt to his feet to push away Williamson’s well struck follow up.

As Queen’s threw themselves forward McCowan fired wide however the Dundee wide-man wrapped things up with his next chance, which came on 81 minutes, as he cut in from the right and sent a curling effort from 18 yards out of the reach of Ferrie.

Queen’s could not recover from this blow and now they will go again against Partick Thistle with the first leg at Firhill on Tuesday.

Queen’s Park: Calum Ferrie, Marcel Oakley, Lee Kilday, Charlie Fox, Tommy Robson, Jack Thomson (Jake Davidson 77’), Malachi Boateng, Dom Thomas (Aaron Healy 76’), Grant Savoury, Josh McPake (Patrick Jarrett 64’), Connor Shields.

Subs not used: Jacques Heraghty (G/k), Louis Longridge Euan Henderson, Lewis Moore, Alex Bannon, Stephen Eze.

Dundee: Adam Legzdins, Josh Mulligan, Ryan Sweeney, Lee Ashcroft, Jordan Marshall (Cammy Kerr 83’), Luke McCowan, Barry Maguire, Lyall Cameron, Luke Hannant (Ben Williamson 46’), Alex Jakubiak (Shaun Byrne 89’), Zach Robinson (Kwame Thomas 76’).

Subs not used: Paul McMullan, Ian Lawlor (G/k), Sam Fisher, Ryan Clampin, Pierre Reedy.

Referee: David Munro