Clinical Queens make United pay
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH manager Gary Naysmith hailed his players after they held off a Dundee United fightback to pick up their first victory in six games.
Naysmith said: “I thought we dominated from start to finish and felt that both their goals were self-inflicted.
“But to come back after they pulled level twice was a really good performance.
“To score four goals and put on that performance after the four or five results we’ve had in the past weeks was terrific and a great credit to the players.
“We needed the points to pull away from the relegation area and it was a thoroughly deserved win as can be seen from today’s other results. It was a really big three points.”
Both managers had stressed the importance of this match to their players: the Tangerines to keep up the pressure on their promotion rivals and Queens – who had picked up just two points in their previous five matches – to keep well clear of the relegation struggle.
And the message clearly registered with the Dumfries men.
They attacked from the start and Cammy Bell had to touch a 25-yard drive from Stephen Dobbie round the upright.
Minutes later, the Queen striker curled a shot in from the edge of the box which beat the keeper but went just over the top.
The breakthrough came from Queens after 19 minutes. Dobbie slipped the ball through for Lyle to turn it past the advancing keeper.
But United weathered the early onslaught and got a break in the 27th minute.
After a poor clearance by Kyle Jacobs, the ball was pushed down the wing and Thomas Mikkelsen outstripped the defenders and keeper Lee Robinson to turn the ball into the net from an acute angle.
But Queens hit them on the break