In the only change from Saturday’s meeting at Motherwell, Head Coach Robin Veldman who was in charge at home for the first time, handed Jack Spong a starting place with Patrick Jarrett on the bench.

After the Spiders kicked off Louis Longridge looked to have forced a corner however referee Graham signalled for a by-kick.

With five minutes gone Jack Turner slipped a pass out wide to the left for Dom Thomas who took aim before firing a fierce drive just past.

Two minutes later Queen’s earned a corner and the ball was worked to Jack Thomson 18 yards out. The skipper worked his way across the pitch before sending a shot goalward. A combination of Thomson slipping and a deflection took the ball into the path of PATON who took his time before slotting home from seven yards.

Queen’s were surging forward now and Thomson was denied a second on nine minutes when Thomas McHale finger-tipped over his fierce drive from the edge of the box.

Within the next two minutes Tizzard struck a post with Barry Hepburn coming close before Charlie Fox had a header ruled out after a gentle push on a defender.

Visiting player-manager Ross Draper helped his side out on 17 minutes when he cut out a dangerous Thomas cross at the expense of a corner and as Queen’s kept on pushing Longridge swept over a delightful cross that Paton was an inch away from heading in.

With half an hour gone former Southampton pair Tizzard and Jack Turner combined and it looked like the latter had a glimpse of goal from the defender’s chipped pass however the ball bounced sharply off the turf and ran to McHale.

PATON grabbed his second goal of the evening on 33 minutes when he was perfectly placed to nod home at the back post after Thomson had flicked on a Thomas corner from the right.

Ferrie showed his determination not to let Elgin back into things before the break when he raced from goal to punch clear with Fox feeling the brunt of the shot-stoppers clearance.

Right on half-time half Cammy Bruce showed the same determination as Ferrie as he slid in to deny Matty Jamieson who had been released by a fine Liam Harvey pass.

The second half started with Queen’s making a substitution with Jarrett coming on in place of Thomson with Elgin coming close on 47 minutes when Jamieson robbed Tizzard and set up Russell Dingwall with the visiting skipper’s flashing drive just off target.

The hosts’ first chance of the second period came five minutes later when a sliding Paton just failed to convert a low cross.

A minute later it was three for Queen’s and three for PATON who controlled a low cross from Thomas on the left side-stepped his marker and picked his spot behind McHale.

Elgin lost Jamieson to a shoulder injury with an hour gone with Mitch Taylor coming on with coach Veldman making changes shortly afterwards with Tommy Robson and Alex Bannon joining the action as Longridge and Tizzard took a rest.

On 66 minutes Queen’s and PATON scored again as Thomas floated a corner from the right to the back post and the striker rose and headed into the next from six yards.

Substitutes Aaron Healy and Liam McLeish combined within a minute of coming on and it looked like McLeish had flicked in a fifth however his effort flashed wide of McHale’s goal.

McLeish came close to his first ever senior goal again with 10 minutes to go when he forced the ball in from close range following a corner however it looked like an effort from Fox had crossed the line before the replacement added his touch.

Queen’s Park – Calum Ferrie, Louis Longridge (Tommy Robson 62), Will Tizzard (Alex Bannon 62), Charlie Fox, Cameron Bruce, Barry Hepburn, Jack Thomson (Patrick Jarrett 46), Jack Turner, Jack Spong, Dom Thomas, Ruari Paton (Liam McLeish 77).

Unused substitutes – Callan McKenna, Aaron Healy, Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, Scott Williamson, Lewis Reid.

Elgin City – Thomas McHale, Nathan Cooney, Rory MacEwan, Russell Dingwall, Owen Cairns, Kenny MacInnes, Liam Harvey (Brodie Mitchell 67), Aiden Cruikshank, Matty Jamieson (Mitch Taylor 60), Ryan MacLennan (Dylan Lawrence 89), Ross Draper.

Unused substitutes – Daniel Hoban (G/k).

Referee: Chris Graham