WHILE his parent club, Celtic, prepare for a tantalising Old Firm derby on Sunday, one of their brightest young Scottish talents, Joe Thomson, continues to illustrate his promise in the Championship.

One suspects Celtic fans will have bigger fish to fry this week; however, they can be suitably enthused by their gifted playmaker’s progress at Queen of the South after furnishing his loan spell with another goal last night.

His composed, clinical finish cancelled out Michael Moffat’s opener and rescued a point for Queens, while ensuring he has now found the net four times in eight games for the Dumfries outfit.

While Thomson was a sliver lining for the visitors - as was Moffat ending a goal drought stretching back to December for the hosts - there can be little doubt that a draw was an unsatisfactory outcome all round.

Morton, occupying fourth spot, now boast a seven point lead over Queens, with the Pars a further four back. It looks a tall order for either to catch the Ton.

Yet prior to this encounter, experienced forward Moffat had been keen to emphasise that, despite the substantial gap to fourth-placed Morton, the Pars still believed a playoff position was achievable this term. After talking the talk, it took just 17 minutes for him to talk the talk.

He scampered onto a hopeful lofted through-ball and nudged the woefully weak Darren Brownlie off the ball before slotting beyond Lee Robinson from close-range. As Moffat wheeled away to celebrate the end of a three-month goal drought, Brownlie rightly held his head in his hands.

However, Queens have been admirably resolute since the arrival of Gary Naysmith - their disappointing defeat against Falkirk on Saturday aside - and their response was swift and effective.

John Rankin, of ‘squiggler’ fame, benefited from another mis-hit as his trundling drive from the edge of the box skewed into the path of Thomson, who controlled the ball instantly and fired beyond Sean Murdoch.

The elusive Thomson was proving a constant threat and he almost gave Queens the lead on the stroke of half-time, latching onto a neat Stephen Dobbie pass and fizzing a ferocious low shot wide of the post.

Dobbie was then denied by Murdoch following a trademark mazy run and shot.

Another Rankin effort from distance - this time making a cleaner connection - forced a superb low save from Murdoch after the break.

However, the best chance for either side to claim a precious win came and went when Nicky Clark found himself on the end of a sweeping Pars counter-attack, only for his curling drive from 18 yards to strike the inside of the post.