Annan consolidated their top-four position with an emphatic 3-0 victory against Queens Park

Queens interest in the play-offs has been merely academic for a while, but they have still shown the desire to go six games unbeaten, winning four and drawing two and securing four successive clean sheets.

But in Saturday they found Annan a different proposition.

Queen’s Park started brightly and created the first opening on five minutes, when Ciaran Summers fired over a great cross from the left and Michael Ruth’s header went narrowly wide.

The Spiders followed this up with a Summers effort which had Alex Mitchell at full stretch to brilliantly turn the effort round the post.

Annan’s first shot on target came on 18 minutes, and it had Jordan Hart scrambling to turn a deft chip from top scorer Tony Wallace round a post.

It was a fairly even game and as they approached the half-hour mark, Queens created an opportunity when Dominic McLaren’s driven pass down the right was picked up by William Mortimer, who whipped over an inviting cross directed towards Kieran Moore. But from eight yards Moore completely miskicked.

Early in the second half, Queens Park were forced to make a change with Summers having to go off with a knock in 52nd minute, to be replaced by midfielder Calvin McGrory,

Annan took the lead in 59 minutes, and it was a goal that keeper Jordan Hart could have dealt with better.

David Wilson was given time and space to turn and shoot, and Hart spilled what should have been a simple save at the feet of Aidan Smith, who made no mistake scoring from six yards.

Annan doubled their advantage in the 70th minute. Smith once again was at the heart of the move as he picked the ball up from a throw in.

After a run along the edge of the penalty area, he finished with a left-footed shot that beat the diving Hart at his left-hand post.

James Creaney was booked for a foul in the 74th minute and, a minute later, it was 3-0 as Chris Johnston weaved his way past a couple of challenges down the right to finish with a cross to the far to Tommy Muir, whose powerful header gave Hart no chance.

It was an important victory for Annan and they now look highly likely to will face either Stenhousemuir or Brechin City in the play-offs.

Match Facts

Queens Park: Hart, Mortimer (East 62), Summers (McGrory 52), McLaren, McLauchlan, Gibson, McLean, Magee (Hawke 82), Ruth, Galt, Moore. Subs: Gow, Bradley, Main, McDougall.

Annan: Mitchell, Hooper, Creaney, Wilson (Sinnamon 82), Sonkur, Bradley, Wallace (Nade 78), Smith, Johnston, Moxon, Muir. Subs: Strapp, Murphy, McAdams, Swinglehurst, Watson.

Referee: Chris Graham

Crowd: 523

n Peterhead took the points with a narrow 2-1 victory over Elgin City, and Edinburgh City’s faltering end to the season continued as Albion Rovers recorded a 3-2 victory. David Cox scored the only goal as Cowdenbeath defeated Stirling Albion, and Clyde won 5-0 against Berwick Rangers.

Scottish League Two

P W D L F A +/- Pts

Peterhead 34 23 6 5 62 28 +34 75

Clyde 34 22 5 7 59 33 +26 71

Edinburgh 34 20 5 9 57 30 +27 65

Annan 34 18 6 10 65 37 +28 60

Stirling 34 13 6 15 43 44 -1 45

Queens 34 11 10 13 44 42 +2 43

Cowdenb’th 34 11 7 16 42 42 0 40

Elgin 34 12 3 19 49 66 -17 39

Albion 34 6 6 22 29 69 -40 24

Berwick 34 5 4 25 27 86 -59 19