Morton caretaker bosses James Grady and Allan McManus savoured six points from six as Ton moved up two places in the table with an impressive victory over in-form Queens.

This performance had much more quality than was seen in last week's home victory against Airdrie and suggests Grady and McManus are having the sort of influence that could see them given an extended run in charge.

The win, courtesy of strikes from David Graham, Peter Weatherson and Allan Jenkins, was also sufficient to knock the Doonhamers off the top of the table, while moving Morton within five points of Gordon Chisholm's second-placed men.

Grady said: "It was a marked improvement from the way we played last week and we scored more goals.

"All credit to the boys, 3-2 does not reflect the game at all as we won very well and perhaps we switched off a little in the last five minutes. That was the only disappointing part.

"The lads have done everything myself and Allan (McManus) have asked of them. We have tried to introduce a higher tempo with shorter, sharper bursts because we always felt this was a fit squad. Our Chairman (Douglas Rae) came into the dressing room and congratulated us. He has said from day one that we are in charge until he tells us otherwise.

"We are going to get on with the job a day at a time. We know the chairman will make his decision for all the right reasons, whoever he picks." Jim McAlister, Ton's star performer, added: "This is a great three points. We were cruising until a nervous last few minutes.

"There is a clean slate for everyone and we all want to do well.

"We are happier playing 4-4-2 than with the three at the back as we seem more solid and difficult to beat and we are creating better chances." Allan Jenkins, who scored Morton's third goal, said: "I thought my goal had put the game to bed but Queens gave us a bit of a scare with those two late strikes.

"We had spoken at half time about the next goal being crucial and then wee Jim McAlister headed it on and it really just bounced off my head." Queens boss Gordon Chisholm reflected on his side's defeat: "The players were warned Morton were a strong side.

"You have to match them physically before anything else. I see this as an off day.

"We didn't play and didn't compete. We were poor, especially in the first half, and I thought we made it difficult for ourselves.

"We lost two disappointing goals, one from a set-piece and the other with a free header to make it 3-0 and that gave us a mountain to climb."