QOS 2 Doyle (52), Marshall (54) FALKIRK 0

Queens manager Gary Naysmith was relieved to see his side survive the drawback of missing a first-half penalty to go on and take the points.

He said: “It was a hard-fought, physical game to that point and missing a penalty can give sometimes give the other side a lift.

“But I said to the players at half-time to keep on top of them and fortunately we got two goals within a few minutes of the restart.

“I felt it was a good game against a team fighting for their lives.”

Falkirk had started briskly, pushing Queens into defence and forcing the defenders into some shaky clearances.

But the Dumfries men eventually broke out to give them a fright with Stephen Dobbie winning the race for a loose ball and seeing his shot deflected by a defender.

And Queens had a chance to go ahead in 20 minutes when Dobbie was brought down in the box.

He took the kick himself with a well placed shot, only to see keeper David Mitchell launch himself across goal to turn the ball away and then dive at the striker’s feet to stop him netting the loose ball.

The Dumfries side then came close when Andy Stirling turned past a couple of defenders and fired in a low drive which the keeper just managed to turn round the post.

But the Dumfries men did make the breakthrough seven minutes after the restart when Falkirk failed to clear a cross from the left and Michael Doyle was on the spot to head home.

Two minutes later Jordan Marshall notched a second when he took the ball in from the left and, as everyone waited for a cross, cracked the ball home from 15 yards.

Falkirk battled hard to get back into the game but found themselves up against a defence which had grown in confidence and determined to hold on to their lead.

In fact Queens were unlucky not to add to the score when Dobbie cracked a drive against the crossbar and was then denied by the keeper in a one on one.

And Falkirk were also denied by the woodwork in the dying stages when sub Andrew Irving rattled the bar.