Partick Thistle striker Brian Graham struck a stoppage-time play-off winner as Queen’s Park found themselves on the wrong end of another high-scoring thriller.
A brilliant double from Dom Thomas saw Queen’s come from two goals down late on but Graham struck in the seventh minute of time added to earn Kris Doolan’s side a 4-3 victory in the first leg of the cinch Premiership play-off quarter-finals at Firhill.
Thomas initially hit back in the first half after strikes from Kyle Turner and Jack McMillan.
Aidan Fitzpatrick capitalised on a defensive blunder to restore Thistle’s two-goal advantage but Malachi Boateng pulled one back in controversial circumstances before Thomas levelled in the 87th minute.
But Queen’s were soon stung four days after their 5-3 defeat by Dundee in the Championship decider as they fell to a sixth defeat in eight matches.
The visitors had two good early chances but Grant Savoury curled just wide from 20 yards following indecision in the home defence and David Mitchell denied Charlie Fox from close range.
The Jags settled and Turner drove into the box and fired just over before giving his side the lead in the 15th minute. The midfielder turned inside Jack Thomson and fired a shot which took a major deflection off Fox and fooled goalkeeper Callum Ferrie.
Graham soon had a goal ruled offside but Thistle had their second in the 28th minute. Turner’s pass sent Scott Tiffoney in behind after Jake Davidson’s failed attempt to play offside and the attacker cut the ball back for right-back McMillan to fire high into the net.
The Spiders responded five minutes later. With Jags midfielder Stuart Bannigan down injured, Thomas ran unchallenged from inside his own half to the edge of the Thistle box. He then faced a wall of red and yellow jerseys but twisted and turned and drove home from 20 yards.
Bannigan was replaced by Fitzpatrick while Savoury soon went off injured for Queen’s.
Tiffoney stabbed a good chance just wide soon after the restart before substitute Patrick Jarrett sliced over at the other end.
Louis Longridge came close for Queen’s but the visitors gifted Thistle a goal in the 69th minute. Left-back Tommy Robson was short with a pass back to his goalkeeper and Tiffoney nipped in and squared for Fitzpatrick to find the empty net.
Queen’s got a lifeline in the 83rd minute when Boateng’s 25-yard strike took a huge deflection off the head of Lee Hodson and flew into the corner of the net. The home side had a strong claim for a foul on Turner by Marcel Oakley just before the ball broke to Boateng but referee Kevin Clancy was unmoved.
Thomas soon seized the initiative, collecting the ball on the halfway line, drifting past two opponents and firing a shot from nearly 30 yards which swerved past Mitchell.
Treatment for Thomson delayed a Thistle free-kick in what looked certain to be the last chance for either team but Graham eventually latched on to a flick-on to fire into the corner.
Clement wants ruthless Rangers after nervy win over Hearts
Rangers boss Philippe Clement called on his team to show greater ruthlessness after they were made to work for a 1-0 win over Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Cyriel Dessers put the Gers ahead after just six minutes at Ibrox, diverting James Tavernier's effort past visiting goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
However, Clement's team failed to build on that quick start and inched over the line amid a tense atmosphere, moving back to within nine points of pacesetters Celtic and Aberdeen.
Speaking after the game, Clement acknowledged his players are fatigued after a gruelling run of fixtures but added they must start taking their chances.
"We made too many wrong choices with the ball and became too sloppy," Clement said.
"It's the end of a very busy period, though, with a lot of travelling and they're all human beings, not robots.
"We missed scoring the second goal and we know that until you get that goal the other team stays in the game, so I want us to kill the belief of the opponent faster.
"I'm very satisfied with the result and the deserved three points. We didn't show the same quality in the second half and we didn't finish off the game. We had a few chances, but it stays nervous until the last second."
Rangers host Dundee United after the international break, while Celtic visit Hearts and Aberdeen travel to St. Mirren.
Celtic show 'another side' in following up Leipzig win by beating Kilmarnock
Celtic beat Kilmarnock 2-0 on Sunday to return to the top of the Scottish Premiership table, showing "another side" to their play after stunning RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
Brendan Rodgers' side defeated German side Leipzig 3-1 on Tuesday to put themselves in a strong position in the league phase of the Champions League, but their attentions returned to domestic action this weekend.
And after Aberdeen eased past Dundee, Celtic knew they must win again to reclaim top spot on goal difference.
Goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn ensured they did just that, although it was a battle for the champions.
"They're totally different games, more fighting football [against Kilmarnock] and what you've got to contend with," Celtic boss Rodgers told Sky Sports.
"But I thought the players were absolutely brilliant, how they had to defend the pressure. The build-up comes quite direct from behind, so they know you have to stand up to the long balls and long throws and everything else.
"The players have shown this week they can deal with all types of games. Today was a brilliant, brilliant win for us and showed another side to us."
They will next face Hearts on 23 November, after the international break.
Celtic show 'another side' in following up Leipzig win by beating Kilmarnoc
Celtic beat Kilmarnock 2-0 on Sunday to return to the top of the Scottish Premiership table, showing "another side" to their play after stunning RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
Brendan Rodgers' side defeated German side Leipzig 3-1 on Tuesday to put themselves in a strong position in the league phase of the Champions League, but their attentions returned to domestic action this weekend.
And after Aberdeen eased past Dundee, Celtic knew they must win again to reclaim top spot on goal difference.
Goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn ensured they did just that, although it was a battle for the champions.
"They're totally different games, more fighting football [against Kilmarnock] and what you've got to contend with," Celtic boss Rodgers told Sky Sports.
"But I thought the players were absolutely brilliant, how they had to defend the pressure. The build-up comes quite direct from behind, so they know you have to stand up to the long balls and long throws and everything else.
"The players have shown this week they can deal with all types of games. Today was a brilliant, brilliant win for us and showed another side to us."
They will next face Hearts on 23 November, after the international break.
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