Michael Ruth's two goals gave Queen's Park a vital 2-1 win over Greenock Morton at Ochilview. The striker's brace on Saturday secured a first home league victory of the season for the Spiders, moving them up to ninth in the Championship.
Ruth at the double
Ruth opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, finishing from close range after a knockdown from teammate Nikolay Todorov. He doubled the advantage just seven minutes later, capitalising on a defensive error to slot home. Morton pulled one back through Lewis Fairnie before the half-hour mark, but Ruth's early work proved decisive. "Michael was in the right place at the right time," said manager Robin Veldman. "His movement and finishing were excellent, and that's what we needed today."
A much-needed result
The three points ended a run of three consecutive defeats for Queen's Park, providing a significant boost after a difficult start to the campaign. The win came just a week after a 2-0 loss away to Dunfermline Athletic, where goals from Josh Cooper and Robbie MacLeod sealed the points for the Pars. That result had left the Spiders at the foot of the table, making this response against Morton all the more important. The club now has four points from their opening six matches, with a goal difference of minus six.
Looking ahead
Attention now turns to a key period in the fixture list. Queen's Park's next Championship outing is at home to Ayr United on the second of January. Ayr currently sit one place and one point above the Spiders in eighth, making it a direct six-pointer. The full schedule of upcoming games is available on our fixtures page. The squad will be hoping to build on the momentum from the Morton win, with Ruth's form a major positive. The 24-year-old now has three league goals this season, making him the team's top scorer. Supporters can track the progress of all the squad throughout the season.
While the victory was welcome, the broader picture shows Queen's Park remain nine points adrift of early leaders Raith Rovers. The recent form guide reads one win, one draw and three losses from the last five outings. Consolidating a mid-table position will be the immediate aim, and securing results against teams around them, like the upcoming clash with Ayr, is essential. The club confirmed the attendance at Ochilview was 1,847 for the match.
