Queens boss Allan Johnston hailed his team as they came from behind against a tough Raith Rovers side to take a valuable point in their rearranged game in Kirkcaldy.
From two goals down, Queens fought back to draw level before losing a third late on, but determination earned them a share of the points at Stark’s Park.
It was a valuable point but one that came at the expense of Johnston’s shattered nerves. He said: “It’s not great if you’re a manager but it was great character from the players to come back.
“We obviously can’t afford to lose the cheap goals that we are losing, especially against good teams.”
He added: “However, we have scored three goals away from home which is really positive as we haven’t scored a lot of goals lately.
“We did the same against Inverness away from home, we scored two goals so we know we are capable of scoring, we just need to get that consistency and we need to tighten up at the back if we are going to get ourselves away from the position that we are in at the moment. We need to be a lot better defensively.”
Queens remain bottom of the Championship table, but the point moves them closer to the teams above and AJ wants his side to continue to show the character they showed at Stark’s Park.
He said: “You have to realise where you are and that you’re not in a good position. Everyone’s future is at risk so you have to pick up results, the boys are well aware of that, but they are more than capable of getting results and working themselves up the table because there are other teams in the mix as well.
“You have to have composure on the ball and take responsibility and continue to do the right things because if we do that we will win games, we have got good players and some of the loan players that we have brought in will give us help as well.”
The trip to Fife was in the midst of controversy with the home side fire-fighting criticism for their transfer deadline day signing of striker David Goodwillie.
AJ said: “I don’t think it had an effect on us, we heard all the stuff and read the things in the press, it is a difficult situation but that is up to Raith.”
The manager is now focused on a difficult trip to promotion challengers Partick Thistle.
“Every game is like a cup final, I know it’s an old saying but games are getting less towards the end of the season and we have to start putting a run together.”
