QUEEN’S PARK secured a welcome win in the William Hill Championship with a comeback victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle at The city Stadium.

Two first half goals from Aidan Connolly cancelled out Graeme Shinnie’s opener and moved the Spiders off the bottom of the table and back above Saturday’s hosts Greenock Morton.

Sean Crighton’s side had to dig in at times and defend for spells but, equally, they showed flashes of the potential they have in the ranks and showed some nice passages of play, particularly in the first half to instil confidence heading own the Clyde coast this weekend.

They showed character too, and had to after falling behind to Graeme Shinnie’s long range opener. The Caley captain drove in from the edge of the box after David Mitchell had beaten out a Luis Longstaff effort.

It was an early wake-up call just six minutes in for the defence – missing their own skipper Euan Murray – and one they heeded as the Spiders proceeded to put on an excellent defensive display, and a handy one going forward at times too.

Murray has been one of Sean Crighton’s reliable performers, but it was another who had the telling influence on the game.

Aidan Connolly dug out the equaliser ten minutes after the opener after Lewis Stuart’s lay-off. The on-loan Rangers winger had opportunities to shoot himself, but held on to tee up his team-mate for a precise shot which had just enough on it that Ross Munro couldn’t keep it out. 

It lifted the spirits in the stands, flattened by a recent run of four straight defeats since victory here over Morton, but roused a response from the visitors. 

Immediately David Mitchell was called to take a header from ex-Spiders loanee Ryan Duncan. Then another QP old boy Luis Longstaff stung his palms and Duncan’s follow-up was deflected clear.

Mitchell denied Duncan again with an excellent low stop and his assurance at the back gave a platform for Queen’s to step up again. 

The home side enjoyed an extended period of possession as the game approached the half-hour and the improving confidence was noticable – but so too was the Caley threat.

Calum Macleod somehow missed the target from close range then Mitchell denied Roddy Macgregor ten minutes from the interval.

By that stage Queen’s park had had one meaningful attack – an scored from it. Their next one brought a goal too.

Stewart made an excellent ball-winning tackle on the left and launched a pass upfield. Michael ruth won the flick-on perfectly into the path of Aidan Connolly. The Spider scampered forward and around Munro rushing 30yards from his goal, then calmly rolled the winner in from distance to give Queen’s the lead.

It was the first they had enjoyed since defeating Morton at the start of September, and it could have been even better on the stroke of 45 minutes when Ruth seized a slip by Kerr Smith and took the ball into the box but Munro matched his high blast at goal.

After the break the Spiders made one change, Callum Smith for Ben Brannan and he was screaming for a penalty in the 48th minute when an Aidan Connolly cross was knocked out by Remi Savage. Michael Ruth’s appeal brought the first booking of the game, but the visitors scrambled the resultant corner away.

This was much more like it from the Spiders who began stroking the ball around with confidence, and Lewis Stewart fired a fierce shot at Munro on the spin ten minutes into the second half.

Much had been made of Spiders recent lack of shots but there could be no such criticism this game, with an hour played.

Duncan Nicolson showed Layton Stewart a yellow card for simulation as he tumbled on a run into the box and Ricki Lamie approached. 

But Caley kept up the pressure and Louis Longridge angered the away fans with a nudge on Liam Sole which send the winger into the advertising boards, conceding a free-kick. Queen’s Park kept that delivery out as they did next time as Matty Shiels and Lamie combined to scramble a cross from the right away.

The visitors were screaming for their own handball penalty on 68 minutes and five minutes later Alfie Stewart fired a great chance over the bar.

Sean Crighton had freshened his side up with Scott Martin, Ross McLean and ex-Caley striker Nikolay Todorov on for Louis Longridge, Lewis Stewart and Michael Ruth but the Spiders saw out the rally and threatened again with 12 to go.

A ball-winning tackle from Lamie started the charge and after some crafty work from Connolly on the left, Callum Smith’s flick was knocked out for a corner. The set-piece was so close to a third with Todorov then Smith on the spin being blocked.

Caley threw caution to the wind towards the end, Macleod firing narrowly over Mitchell’s bar from distance and the Spiders backline was kept busy. Even Munro added to the drama, the goalie gambling with a late run into the Somerville Drive penalty area for an injury time corner, but Scott Martin ran the ball clear before being closed down.

Nicolson’s final whistle was met with relief – Sean Crighton staring at the skies, and the Spiders in the stand cheering into the night air to mark the second league win of the campaign, and a very welcome one.