Greenock Morton moved above Dundee United into third in the Championship with victory over Queen of the South.
Aidan Nesbitt should have broken the deadlock when he volleyed over the bar after Queens goalkeeper Lee Robinson punched the ball into his path.
However, Morton were ahead when Ross Forbes cut inside from the right and found the net from a tight angle.
It was enough to move Morton to within three points of second-placed Falkirk with two games in hand.
The scoreline could well have been more handsome for the home side, though Joe Thomson did have the ball in the net for the Doonhamers only for the offside flag to cut short celebrations.
Laurence Shankland saw a long-range effort tipped over the bar by Robinson, with Lee Kilday then heading the resulting corner just wide.
Jamie Lindsay also went close when he burst into the box and rifled in a low drive that the goalkeeper did well to repel with his feet.
Morton substitute Ricki Lamie shaved the crossbar but one goal was enough for the hosts.
Line-ups
Morton
- 1Gaston
- 18McDonaghSubstituted forLamieat 45′minutes
- 2Kilday
- 4O’Ware
- 6Doyle
- 8Forbes
- 10Lindsay
- 21Murdoch
- 12TidserSubstituted forOyenugaat 85′minutes
- 11Nesbitt
- 16Shankland
Substitutes
- 3Lamie
- 7Oliver
- 9Oyenuga
- 14Scullion
- 17Russell
- 19Donnelly
- 30McGowan
Queen of Sth
- 1RobinsonBooked at 45mins
- 2Hamill
- 5Brownlie
- 6Higgins
- 24Mercer
- 23Thomas
- 14JacobsSubstituted forHilsonat 66′minutes
- 8Rankin
- 15ThomsonBooked at 90mins
- 11DobbieSubstituted forLyleat 66′minutes
- 25DykesSubstituted forCarmichaelat 66′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Marshall
- 9Lyle
- 10Hilson
- 20Atkinson
- 26Sonkur
- 27Murray
- 39Carmichael
- Referee:
- Craig Charleston
- Attendance:
- 1,451
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home10
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away11
Live Text
Match ends, Morton 1, Queen of the South 0.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Morton 1, Queen of the South 0.
Booking
Joseph Thomson (Queen of the South) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Aidan Nesbitt (Morton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joseph Thomson (Queen of the South).
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Joseph Thomson.
Foul by Jamie Lindsay (Morton).
Scott Mercer (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Scott Mercer.
Kudus Oyenuga (Morton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jamie Hamill (Queen of the South).
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Jamie Hamill.
Substitution
Substitution, Morton. Kudus Oyenuga replaces Michael Tidser.
Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Ricki Lamie.
Foul by Lawrence Shankland (Morton).
Dale Hilson (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Ross Forbes (Morton) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Darren Brownlie.
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Jamie Hamill.
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Daniel Carmichael.
Attempt missed. Ricki Lamie (Morton) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is high and wide to the left.
Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Michael Doyle.
Ross Forbes (Morton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Scott Mercer (Queen of the South).
Substitution
Substitution, Queen of the South. Daniel Carmichael replaces Lyndon Dykes.
Substitution
Substitution, Queen of the South. Derek Lyle replaces Stephen Dobbie.
Substitution
Substitution, Queen of the South. Dale Hilson replaces Kyle Jacobs.
Attempt blocked. Ross Forbes (Morton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Jamie Lindsay (Morton) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Attempt blocked. Andy Murdoch (Morton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Lee Kilday (Morton) header from very close range is close, but misses to the right.
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Lee Robinson.
Attempt saved. Lawrence Shankland (Morton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
Attempt blocked. Dom Thomas (Queen of the South) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Chris Higgins.
Goal!
Goal! Morton 1, Queen of the South 0. Ross Forbes (Morton) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right to the top left corner.
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Scott Mercer.
Attempt saved. Joseph Thomson (Queen of the South) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Lyndon Dykes (Queen of the South) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Michael Doyle (Morton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
