We welcomed Queen of the South to the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium this evening for the first of our re-arranged league fixtures.  Manager Terry Butcher made one change from the team that drew with Dundee at the weekend, David Proctor coming into the side with Nauris Bulvitis dropping to the bench.  Youngster Nick Ross was also named amongst the substitutes.

With 15 minutes played a fine block from goalkeeper Ryan Esson kept the game goal less.  We gave away possession cheaply in the Queens half and they broke quickly upfield with David Weatherston releasing Stewart Keen just inside the box but Esson was alert and blocked the strikers low shot.

Eleven minutes later and we created an opening, Grant Munro picked out Adam Rooney with a diagonal ball but Adam failed to connect properly with the ball and Queens scrambled the ball clear.

On the half hour mark we made our best chance of the half, Richie Foran played a delightful ball over the top of the Queens defence for Adam Rooney to chase down, he held of his marker but his right footed curling effort drifted just over the cross bar from 12 yards.

Adam Rooney could of opened the scoring four minutes before the interval when he got his head to a Jonny Hayes inswinging free kick from the right flank but his header lacked power and keeper David Hutton gathered easily.

However the Irish striker did net the opener within a minute, Lee Cox crossed from the right and Richie Foran was at the back post to head across goal and that gave Adam the opportunity of finishing from six yards to make it 1-0.

Half-time score: ICT 1 (Rooney 42 mins) - Queen of the South 0

Four minutes into the second half and Adam Rooney doubled our and his tally, a ball out of defence was headed on by Jonny Hayes and that released Rooney in behind Marvin Andrews and he unleashed a left foot volley high into the net for his 16th goal of the season.

On the hour mark referee Crawford Allan awarded Queen of the South a penalty when he adjudged that Grant Munro had fouled David Weatherston at the edge of the box.  Striker Derek Holmes made no mistake from 12 yards sending Ryan Esson the wrong way.

Fifteen minutes later and it was a penalty at the other end, a Lee Cox chip into the back post seemed to be a certain goal for Richie Foran but he was tucked down by Neil Scally and Crawford Allan pointed to the spot.  Adam Rooney confidently stepped up and sealed his second hat-trick of the season.

Dani Sanchez replaced Eric Odhiambo with five minutes left for play and right on the final whistle Robert Eagle came on for Richie Foran.

The referee's final whistle followed shortly afterwards and the three points along with Ross County's defeat at Raith Rovers means we move into second place in the league on goal difference.

Full-time score: ICT 3 (Rooney 42, 52 & 76 mins) - Queen of the South 1 (Holmes pen 61 mins)

Attendance: 3003

ICT Team

Esson

Tokely, Proctor, Munro, Golabek

Cox, Duncan

Hayes, Odhiambo, Foran

Rooney

Subs: Allison (GK), Eagle for Foran (90 mins), Sanchez for Odhiambo (85 mins), Bulvitis, Ross