Queen's Park v Dunfermline: Dom Thomas hits Hampden winner

FORMER Pars star Dom Thomas came back to haunt his former club as his goal proved decisive to condemn them to a second successive defeat.

The winger's 78th minute goal, which took a wicked deflection off Chris Hamilton, gave Queen's Park a first win 16 Championship games - their last was in mid-August - to haul them off the foot of the table.

Whilst there was joy and relief amongst the home fans at time-up, there was audible frustration from the travelling Dunfermline support, who watched their side go five games without a victory.

Ben Summers' fine strike - his second goal in as many matches - gave them late hope, but Thomas' effort, after Ruari Paton opened the scoring early in the second half sent Athletic to an eighth defeat of the season.

Ben Summers' goal was not enough for the Pars at Hampden. (Image: Craig Brown.)

To make matters worse, Aaron Comrie was substituted with injury during the first half, whilst Alex Jakubiak hobbled off in the second, as James McPake's injury-hit squad continues to be tested to greater limits.

"It's bitterly disappointing. To me it looked like Queen's Park wanted that game more than us," McPake said.

"We can sugarcoat it and speak about the injuries and the key players that are missing, but I don't buy that.

"Particularly from when Aaron goes off, we looked like 'this isn't going to be our night', we felt sorry for ourselves and it's not good enough.

"There was an acceptance of our fate. You could see it here, the fans could certainly see it.

"I'll exclude a couple in that, Ben Summers. Yeah, he gives the ball away for the first goal. We should still defend it better. Second goal, we don't match a runner.

"From then, Ben is the one who tries to gab the game for us, not just his goal. The kid kept trying to get on the ball, kept trying to make things happen."

Dunfermline arrived at Hampden not only on the back of that derby defeat to Raith three days ago, but with a threadbare squad - which was reflected on their bench.

Injuries ruled out Sam Fisher, Rhys Breen and Ewan Otoo following Tuesday's match, and those three were replaced in the starting line-up by Owen Moffat, Paul Allan and Michael O'Halloran.

However, their substitutes included four teenagers - siblings Taylor and Jake Sutherland, Liam Hoggan and Ewan McLeod - as well as 20-year-old Miller Fenton, and two goalkeepers, Harry Sharp and Max Little.

Even though they were facing a home side that hadn't won a league game since mid-August, and who propped up the table with 14 points from 18 games before kick-off, after a run of 15 games without a win, the visitors looked set to face a tough task.

They had won on their previous visit to Hampden - 2-0 in September - but were also without their two-goal hero that day, Lewis McCann, as they prepared for the first of two games with the Spiders in 15 days.

There was little to excite the crowd for large periods of the first half, but the dreaded sight of one of their team going down was once again suffered by the travelling Pars fans.

After Paton, who was in any case offside, saw a shot saved by Mehmet, Comrie was taken off with a suspected calf problem in the midst of that move, with Fenton sent on as his replacement.

Aaron Comrie was forced off in the first half at Hampden. (Image: Craig Brown.)

He was deployed in the centre of the back three, with Hamilton shuffling to the right, with Josh Edwards on the left, and Moffat soon had a decent effort for Dunfermline, driving wide from range.

Moments later, Paton netted from Cameron Bruce's cutback, but the assistant referee's offside flag disallowed it, although television replays appeared to show Bruce, who was penalised, was played onside.

Thomas, wearing the Spiders' captain's armband, curled a decent effort at goal which Mehmet comfortably saved, before the Pars keeper thwarted Paton.

Hamilton sent a speculative effort wide of target, after good play by Paul Allan to find him as the skipper strode forward, before Jack Thomson shot wide for the hosts, and Mehmet did well to block a dangerous Thomas centre with team-mates lurking.

However, 10 minutes into the second half, the hosts took the lead.

Summers was caught in possession midway inside his own half by Bruce, who played it into Paton, who cut onto his right before firing low past Mehmet from around 18 yards.

Queen's Park had been upping the pressure, and Alex Fairlie soon spooned over from a difficult ball across goal, whilst Zach Mauchin fired wide of the near post.

Another injury, this time for Jakubiak, saw Taylor Sutherland introduced midway through the second half, but the frustration from the visiting fans, watching their side struggle to create anything in attack, had been audible prior to that change.

Moments after coming on, Sutherland was played through and shot wide, after good play by Summers to set him up, but he was offside anyway, whilst Thomas had a shot deflected over as the hosts chased a killer second goal.

Moments later, they, and their captain, got it.

After receiving a pass 20 yards out, to the left of goal, he hit a shot which deflected off the boot of Hamilton, who tried to block, with the ball flying over the helpless Mehmet and into the net.

That appeared to be game over but, with five minutes left, Summers gave the visitors hope.

Moffat showed great feet on the left edge of the box to move away from opponents, before laying it to his team-mate, who took a touch before drilling a fine shot into the net via the near post.

Owen Moffat set up Ben Summers for Dunfermline's goal. (Image: Craig Brown.)

Edwards came agonisingly closed to a stunning late leveller, hitting the side netting on the volley after he latched on to Craig Wighton's intelligent flick, but Dunfermline couldn't find an equaliser as the Spiders claimed a well-earned three points.

Queen's Park: Ferrie, Robson, Bannon, Spong, Thomson, Paton, Thomas, Bruce, Turner (Jarrett 90), Fairlie (McKinstry 73), Mauchin (McPherson 77).

Subs not used: Healy, Tizzard, Reid, Waugh, McCormick, McKenna.

Goals: Paton (55), Thomas (78).

Booked: Robson (59), Paton (69).

Pars: Mehmet, O'Halloran (Hoggan 80), Comrie (Fenton 19), Hamilton, Edwards, Moffat, Chalmers, Allan, Summers, Wighton, Jakubiak (T. Sutherland 66).

Subs not used: McLeod, J. Sutherland, Little, Sharp.

Goal: Summers (85).

Booked: Summers (81).

Referee: Willie Collum.

Attendance: 1,354.