QUEEN'S PARK boss Gardner Speirs today hailed his side's 3-1 victory over Stirling Albion as a pivotal one in the Spiders' bid for survival in the Irn-Bru Second Division.

Second-half goals from Steven Odunewu, Paul Harkins and Paul Cairney claimed a vital three-point haul at Hampden.

And with Arbroath losing to title challengers Raith 2-0, the Amateurs have now moved onto the same points as the eighth-placed Angus men, but with a poorer goal difference.

Speirs said: "All that mattered was that we won and although we were very fortunate, especially in the first half, we got the job done.

"Coupled with Arbroath's defeat by Raith it has been even more important that we cashed in on that.

"Given the run of fixtures we have had to come through we have one defeat in our last five. That is a good run."

In the Irn-Bru Third Division, Dumbarton boss Jim Chapman has admitted the Sons indulged in a talk-in following their 2-0 home defeat by Annan.

Dumbarton remain second on goal difference, but with leaders Cowdenbeath now 10 points clear the basement title looks beyond them.

Chappie said: "In the dressing room afterwards the players helds their hands up and there was some soul-searching, but I must see them deliver on that.

"It defies logic that we are still second top but we can't lose sight of the fact that it is still all to play for."

It was also a bad weekend for Albion Rovers who went down 1-0 to Montrose at Cliftonhill to leave them seven points off the promotion play-off placings.

Rovers boss Paul Martin said: "I had never seen a chance missed from two yards by one of my players until Saturday.

"That summed it up for us."