Dykes delivers a crushing blow to Ton’s promotion play-off chances

LYNDON DYKES’ strike all but ended any hopes Morton had of finishing with a place in the end-of-season promotion play-offs.

The Greenock side needed a win to keep the pressure on fourthplaced Dundee United but failed to trouble Queen of the South, who were worthy winners.

Morton boss Jim Duffy admitted: ‘I’m gutted. You put so much into a season and our performance was flat.

‘We had so much to play for. They let themselves down and let the fans down. Queen’s were more up it.’

Joe Thomson went close early on for the visitors before Ton’s Bob McHugh scooped over from six yards out.

The Dumfries side thought they had scored on 51 minutes but Stephen Dobbie’s chip came back off the bar.

However, the winner eventually came in the 69th minute when Dykes found the net after his previous attempt had hit the post.

Queen’s boss Gary Naysmith said: ‘We deserved to win. Our defensive display really pleased me.’ A NATHAN AUSTIN hat-trick helped resurgent Caley Thistle rout the struggling Sons in their biggest win of the season.

Grant Gallagher put Dumbarton ahead before Aaron Doran and Iain Vigurs added to Austin’s treble for Inverness.

Manager John Robertson insisted: ‘We’ve said all along, Nathan Austin has a goal pedigree. We know he can score goals if we provide him with the ammo.’