DUMBARTON 0 QOS 0

LEADERS Queen of the South continued the unbeaten start to their league season in a goalless scrap at Dumbarton which had very few clear cut chances.

The home side had the better of the first half, with Robert Thomson and Craig Pettigrew each forcing a save from visiting keeper Lee Robinson.

Queens’ positional superiority was more evident after the restart but they were largely restricted to half-chances, with Steven Rigg going closest with a header which Sons keeper Alan Martin saved.

The Dumfries men must now wait for the result of today’s Hibernian v Dundee United clash to see if they will retain top spot in the Championship going into the international break.

Meanwhile, the result was a confidence booster for Dumbarton, who lost 3-2 at Raith Rovers last week and are now without a win in seven games.

Rigg, only starting after Derek Lyle limped out of the warm up,had the game’s first opportunity midway through the first half, shooting wide from the edge of the area after the ball broke his way.

Sons responded with Thomson reacting to a loose ball in the area with a narrow-angled shot which Robinson beat away.

A header by Sam Stanton then went across goal, with Darren Barr unable to turn the loose ball in at a difficult angle, while Pettigrew’s cross bent towards goal only for Robinson to fist it clear.

The second half saw more threat from Queens, who went on the attack from a Dumbarton corner only for Rigg’s header to be saved by Alan Martin at close range.

Stephen Dobbie, on form since rejoining Queens in the close season, was more subdued on his former home ground, but had a 20-yard shot which rolled wide just after the hour mark.

A dangerous free-kick by Jamie Hamill also narrowly missed the target, while Thomson headed over for Sons from Daniel Harvie’s cross.

Another chance fell to Rigg late in the afternoon, but he headed wide when well placed before the match got scrappy again, and ended with the points shared.