TWO second half goals for Stenhousemuir inflicted Queen’s Park’s second home defeat of the season. 

Substitutes Euan O’Reilly and Gregor Buchanan were on the scoresheet for the visitors who moved joint top of the William Hill Premiership.

Sean Crighton made six changes – three enforced through injury to Matty Shiels, Scott Martin and Callum Smith.

Michael Ruth led the line with Jack Hamilton on the bench, goalscorer Ross McLean started alongside Aiden McCallion and Louis Longridge in midfield.

Jack Wills was the busier of the two goalkeepers, but only just in an opening 45 played out in midfield.

It was an even first half, full of endeavour but little by way of goalmouth action.

Wills was called upon to beat away a Lewis Hodgkiss drive just after the half hour mark and he ensured the sides went into the break goalless.

The level pegging prompted Sean Crighton into a change at the interval, Tyrece McDonnell off for Nikolay Todorov and a switch to 3-5-2.

Stenhousemuir also made alterations at the interval and profited almost immediately.

Euan O’Reilly benefitted from some good fortune in the midfield as some pinball possession in the centre circle broke kindly for the Warriors substitute and he ran clear and lifted the ball over Wills for the opener.

The Spiders fans frustration turned to anger shortly afterwards, directed at Scott Bright’s touchline tackle on McLean and then Kinlay Bilham’s lunge on Carlo Pignatiello a minute later which brought a yellow card from referee Sean Murdoch.

Ollie Fisher was pitched in for a league debut, replacing the injured Ricki Lamie before Jamck Hamilton alos entered the action. Aiden McCallion switched with fellow Rangers co-op loanee Lewis Stewart too and the winger gave plenty of attacking outlet on the right – and mucked in on defending too. 

Neither could bring about an equaliser though. Despite improved Spiders pressure the Warriors’ rearguard held out.

They strengthened it themselves by adding first-team coach  Gregor Buchanan to play and at the other end he knocked in Stenhousemuir’s second at the backpost with six minutes to play.

Aidan Connolly clipped the crossbar with a free-kick late on but Stenny too hit the woodwork in the closing stages as the visitors left the southside with all three points.