Stranraer strolled to a 4-1 win at Queen of the South to put them right back in the Division Two promotion race.

Both teams started cautiously with Queen of the South having the better of the opening minutes but Stranraer goalkeeper Mark McGeown's most difficult moment was in cutting out a cross from Ross Atkinson.

But Stranraer suddenly struck on 13 minutes when a long clearance by keeper Atkinson was hooked into the net by Michael Geraghty.

The visitors could have added another within minutes when Ian Harty flashed the ball across the face of the goal but the on-rushing forwards were just out of reach.

But Queens hit back and they should have equalised before the interval when Steven Pickering broke through and shot only to see McGeown pull off a fine one-handed save from point-blank range.

Queens brought on Sandy Hodge and Dean Muir in a bid to put more punch in the game and they then forced three corners in succession.

Then a header by Andrew Martin was cleared off the line by Duncan George and Warren Hawke headed against the bar from a cross by Hodge.

But Stranraer shocked the Dumfries side on 57 minutes as defenders stood waiting for an offside flag and Paul Walker ran on to score.

Brian Caldwell gave the home fans at Palmerston Park some hope when he pulled a goal back with a 25-yard free-kick 14 minutes from time.

But Walker shattered any Queen of the South hopes when he notched Stranraer's fourth goal of the game to put the match well and truly out of the home side's reach.