Queen’s Park avoid relegation playoff after victory over Airdrieonians
QUEEN’S PARK avoided the relegation play-offs thanks to a 2-0 victory over Airdrie on the final day of the regular Championship season.
Ruari Paton and Liam McLeish both scored to make it back-to-back wins for the Spiders and consign Inverness Caley Thistle to 11th place.
Airdrie head into the promotion play-offs on a three-match winless run.
The result means Inverness must survive the play-offs to maintain their Championship status despite beating Morton 3-1.
Morgan Boyes opened the scoring on the half-hour mark but Kirk Broadfoot equalised for Morton before half-time.
Cameron Harper put Inverness back in front 11 minutes after the break from the penalty sport and Morton were then reduced to 10 men following two yellow cards for Robbie Muirhead before Sean McAllister added a third.
Callum Smith and Lewis Vaughan both scored braces as Raith Rovers warmed up for the Championship playoffs with a comfortable 5-0 win over relegated Arbroath.
Smith bagged two goals in five minutes midway through the first half, first turning home Kyle Turner’s crossshot before the recalled Vaughan laid on the second.
Max Boruc denied him a first-half hat-trick while Leighton McIntosh went close for Arbroath.
Vaughan made it four from a pair of second-half penalties and Jack Hamilton added the fifth as the Red Lichties’ season-ending losing run extended into double figures.
Rovers will play in the play-off semifinal against the winner of the quarterfinal between Partick Thistle and Airdrie.
Anton Dowds’ equaliser earned Ayr United a season-ending 3-3 draw at home to Dunfermline.
Mark McKenzie fired the hosts into an early lead but Chris Kane hauled Dunfermline level.
Kane then headed the visitors into the lead and a Josh Edwards volley made it 3-1 just before half-time.
But Scott Tomlinson’s ball over the top was lashed home by 17-year-old Lucas McRoberts before Dowds turned and finished Francis Amartey’s pass in the 73rd minute.
Dundee United rounded off their Championship-winning campaign with a 4-1 victory over Patrick Thistle at Tannadice Park.
Jim Goodwin’s Terrors fell behind via an early Ben Stanway finish before Craig Sibbald equalised just prior to the interval.
Thistle goalkeeper Ross Stewart then saved a 57th-minute Louis Moult penalty only to be beaten by Kai Fotheringham two minutes later.
Tony Watt added a third 10 minutes on from time and Moult made amends to notch the fourth with seven minutes of normal time to go.