Fourth place in the SPFL Championship proved just out of reach for Queen of the South last night.
Their chances of scaling any further up the league table diminished alongside their personnel, with the Dumfries side having spent the majority of the second half reduced to nine men at Cappielow.
A rearranged match with Morton started out in respectful manner - the two sides joining in a minute's applause in memory of Andrew Kemp, the Morton supporter who collapsed and died on Saturday during the initial fixture. The Greenock club allowed fans free entry to last night's match and they were treated to a game rich in incident.
Morton had failed to beat Queen's in their last five matches - taking just a single point from the Dumfries side - but started in a determined mood. Within the first 30 seconds the home side came close through Barrie McKay. Morton had scored just once in their last six matches, but looked the more confident in front of goal as Garry O'Connor hit a post.
A hamstring injury then befell Zander Clark, the Queens goalkeeper, with youngster Jim Atkinson stepping in. He continued to fend off the home side before the visitors went ahead against the run of play - Iain Russell bundling in two minutes from the break.
They went in a goal up but a man down. Chris Higgins was sent off for a deliberate hand ball and Russell was also sent off two minutes after the break after an ugly challenge on James McCormack.
Queens clung to their lead until four minutes from the end, though, when Archie Campbell headed Morton level.
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