Danish striker Thomas Mikkelsen was at the double for Dundee United but they still lost to Queen of the South at Palmerston.
The Doonhamers were ahead twice – firstly through Derek Lyle and then Stephen Dobbie – but Mikkelsen struck back each time for the Tangerines.
However, with eight minutes remaining, Queens got their noses in front again when substitute Lyndon Dykes sent an angled shot home to make it 3-2.
They then went on to get a fourth, courtesy of an own goal from United defender Paul Dixon under pressure from Dale Hilson just two minutes from time.
It was a real setback for the Tannadice men, who had made two changes to the line-up that started the win over Ayr United on Tuesday.
Back in came Dixon at left-back for Jamie Robson, while Ali Coote replaced Alex Nicholls.
The home side had the first decent chance when United keeper Cammy Bell did well to tip a Dobbie chip over the bar on four minutes.
Queens came close again on 11 minutes when a good run from Dominic Thomas saw him square to Dobbie, whose first-time shot was just wide.
With United on the back foot, Thomas shot past the post then Dobbie broke clear on goal only for Bell to come out of his goal and make a great save.
The visitors finally had a go on 16 minutes and it was a terrific 25-yard shot from Charlie Telfer that had to be pushed around the post by Doonhamers keeper Lee Robinson.
It was Queens, though, who took a deserved lead on 20 minutes.
The dangerous Dobbie raced forward towards the United box then slipped the ball to Lyle on his right and the former Dundee frontman clipped it past Bell to make it 1-0.
The Tangerines, though, fought back and were level on 27 minutes thanks to a great finish by Mikkelsen.
The Danish striker was left in the clear and the ball deflected into his path but he still had keeper Robinson to beat.
Mikkelsen played the ball past the goalie and from the tightest of angles on the left-hand side of the box, he squeezed his shot into the empty net.
On 40 minutes, Willo Flood’s freekick caused havoc inside the Doonhamers’ box but Mark Durnan headed wide with Mikkelsen right on his shoulder.
Two minutes before the break and with United pressing forward, they were caught by the sucker punch.
Flood got into a tangle for possession with Thomas, which he lost, and referee Stephen Finnie ignored his appeals for a foul.
That left Queens with a two on one and when Thomas played in Dobbie there was only going to be one outcome – a goal for the hosts. Flood was booked for dissent before the restart.
The home team lost striker Lyle just three minutes into the second half because of injury before Dobbie tried again with a chip from outside the box.
On 55 minutes, the Tangerines again dragged themselves level, with Mikkelsen on target for a second time.
It all started when Dixon fancied trying a shot from 30 yards and he caught it sweetly.
Keeper Robinson seemed taken by surprise and could only punch the ball as far as Mikkelsen, who was alert and smacked his low shot into the net.
With 63 minutes on the clock, a slice from Coote put the pressure on inside his own box and, after a Dobbie shot was saved by Bell, there was an almighty scramble before Flood finally booted clear.
It was a decent contest now and Telfer went on a great run into the home box but his shot was blocked by Darren Brownlie.
The visitors then lost keeper Bell to injury on 74 minutes, with Luis Zwick going between the posts.
United boss Ray McKinnon also took Mikkelsen off with 10 minutes to go, bringing on Nicholls and moving Murray into the centre from the left.
Zwick was picking the ball out out of his net on 82 minutes, when substitute Lyndon Dykes beat him with an angled drive to make it 3-2 to Queens.
United now had to somehow battle back for a third time but, instead, it was the hosts who grabbed a fourth with just two minutes to go.
The scorer was Dixon under pressure from ex-Tannadice player Hilson, just to pile on the misery.
Attendance: 1,514.
Queen of the South: Robinson, Marshall, Brownlie, Higgins, Rankin, Lyle (Dykes 48), Dobbie, Jacobs, Thomson, Thomas (Hilson 74), Carmichael (Murray 65). Subs not used: Atkinson, Dowie, Hilson, McManus, Mercer.
Dundee United: Bell (Zwick 74), Dixon, Durnan, Murdoch, Murray, Telfer, Edjenguele, Flood, Mikkelsen (Nicholls 80), Andreu, Coote (Spittal 64). Subs not used: Zwick, Donaldson, Toshney, Spittal, Van der Velden, Robson.
Referee: Stephen Finnie.
