MATCH STATS
Queen’s Park skipper Simon Murray thumped in the winner as the Spiders came from behind to defeat to take all three points.
The result took the hosts into the play-off places, only four points behind leaders Ayr United. They also leapfrogged Raith Rovers, who they face on Saturday.
Billy Mckay had the Highlanders in front at half-time. However, a rousing second-half display from Owen Coyle’s side saw Charlie Fox level before Murray grabbed the winner with 17 minutes to go.
A delighted Coyle said: “It would have been a travesty if we had not won. We were pleasing on the eye, and I thought we were outstanding.”
Queen’s had started brightly and claimed for a penalty in the first minute when the darting Dom Thomas appeared to be hauled back. However, referee Scott Lambie was not interested.
Four minutes later, a piercing Thomas pass released Murray and his low shot looked to be heading in until Cameron Mackay turned the ball round for a corner.
Caley made the most of keeping their goal intact by taking the lead when a fine chipped pass from Sean Welsh found Mckay, who held off his marker before crashing a shot past Calum Ferrie.
The Spiders looked for parity, and Murray’s header from a Thomas corner flashed wide, then Mackay grabbed a fierce Jack Thomson shot from 25 yards.
Ferrie prevented his side going two behind on 35 minutes when he leapt to his left to clutch a Mckay header.
At the start of the second half the Spiders had a Lee Kilday strike ruled out. However, they got the leveller when Fox rose high at the back post to head home a Thomas corner.
Owen Coyle’s side were dominant by now, and Pat Jarrett was unlucky when his shot came back off the base of a post after he had been set up by Thomas.
The winner came when Thomson won possession in midfield and slipped a pass out to substitute Grant Savoury. He skipped past David Carson before sending in a low cross that Murray volleyed in from four yards.
In the final minute, Thomson almost got the hosts’ third, but his shot came back off the woodwork.
Caley manager Billy Dodds said: “We are missing bodies but we are still giving it a go. When we get the majority of our players back, we will not be far away.
“Queen’s Park were good, but we gave them a hand with the goals.”