Fordyce to the rescue as Queens move up to third

Queen of the South have moved into third spot in the Championship after a 1-0 win over Dumbarton at Palmerston, with defender Callum Fordyce sparing his striking teammates’ blushes.

The Dumfries hosts were wasteful in front of goal and they had to rely on Fordyce’s header from Jordan Marshall’s corner on half-time for their success.

In the second half, the usually deadly duo of Derek Lyle and Stephen Dobbie erred in front of goal and, when substitute Lyndon dykes skipped past three men and then shot wildly wide, Dumbarton probed for a leveller.

Queen’s boss Gary Naysmith said: “We were hanging on as we never turned chances into goals. The game should have been finished long before the last ten minutes.” Dumbarton manager Stephen Aitken added: “Our second-half display was a lot better and we put them under a lot of pressure but could not get a break.”

The ten men of St Mirren ended Livingston’s unbeaten run that began in March with a 3-1 success at the Tony Macaroni Arena. Saints went ahead in nine minutes when Stephen Mcginn’s cross was flicked past his own goalkeeper by Craig Halkett.

The defender made amends six minutes later when he headed in a Josh Mullin corner and the hosts got a further boost on 33 minutes when Paisley defender Gary Irvine was dismissed for a late challenge on Dale Carrick.

St Mirren went ahead six minutes into the second half, though, when Gavin Reilly turned in a rebound and the striker added his second on the hour.

Inverness Caley Thistle remain bottom but picked up their first point in a 1-1 draw with Morton. John Robertson’s side took the lead on 19 minutes when Gary Warren turned in Liam Polworth’s cross. The Greenock visitors levelled early in the second half when Robert Thomson glanced a header home.