It went from bad to worse for Dundee United as they looked anything but promotion candidates in losing 3-2 at home to Queen of the South.
So poor was the first-half performance against Inverness on Saturday that you thought things could only get better when they faced the Doonhamers in this rearranged fixture at Tannadice.
However, while they actually salvaged a point against the Highlanders at the weekend there was no such consolation this time, as the Tangerines’ comeback from two goals down proved to be fruitless.
United remain in third spot in the Championship table but they are hanging on by their fingertips.
Joe Thomson opened the scoring for the visitors on 22 minutes before home defender Mark Durnan conceded a stonewall penalty, which was converted by Kyle Jacobs four minutes from the break.
Durnan grabbed a goal back for the Tangerines on 57 minutes then it was all square on 68 minutes when Scoot McDonald found the net with a wonderful freekick from just outside the box.
However, Queens regained the lead on 75 minutes when Thomson smashed in a shot from 25 yards for his second of the night and made the long journey south with the three points secured.
United boss Csaba Laszlo, not surprisingly, wielded the axe following that disappointing 1-1 draw with ICT.
Out went Harry Lewis, Jamie Robson, Paul Quinn, Willo Flood and Matty Smith.
Into the goal came Deniz, Anthony Ralston made his debut, William Edjenguele was back after injury, while Paul McMullan and Scott McDonald were promoted from the bench. Ralston slotted in at right-back, with Stewart Murdoch moving into the middle of the park.
The visitors had the first go at goal and it was familiar face John Rankin who fired wide from 25 yards.
United started to warm up, though, and McDonald squared when he had the chance to shoot, while the ball was taken off Mikkelsen’s head by Kyle Cameron just as he was about to nod it into the net on eight minutes. From the resultant corner, Tangerines defender Durnan headed just inches past the right-hand post.
Josh Todd was booked for clattering into McMullan on the right side but the Tannadice men could do nothing with the freekick.
The hosts were denied what looked like a penalty on 19 minutes when Ralston took on Jordan Marshall inside the box and appeared to be taken down. Ralston was frustrated and picked up a booking seconds later for fouling Todd.
Against the run of play, the Doonhamers took the lead on 22 minutes.
McDonald gave the ball away and Queens broke up the park. Todd played the pass in behind to Lyndon Dykes, who squared for Thomson to fire low past Deniz from 10 yards.
United now found themselves 1-0 down for the sixth match in a row.
McMullan hooked the ball over the bar on 38 minutes as they tried to get back level before the break but they were caught again as the Dumfries men made it 2-0 from the spot.
It was a mistake by Durnan, who tried to knee the ball back to Deniz but instead left it short and laid it on for Dykes.
The United defender then made things worse by pulling Dykes back and it was a certain spotkick. Jacobs took the kick and it was a cracker, giving the goalie no chance with just four minutes of the first half remaining
Queens started the second half where they left off in the first, with Todd turning and shooting low at Deniz.
Todd, on loan from champions-elect St Mirren, was allowed to run about 40 yards before shooting over United’s bar.
The tangerines were handed a lifeline on 57 minutes as Durnan made amends for his blunder at the back by scoring at the other end.
He shot into the net from close range after Sam Stanton’s shot had struck the base of the post and Queens defender Shaun Rooney had failed to clear.
Dykes then smacked a shot off the bar on 61 minutes as the Doonhamers looked to restore their two-goal lead.
The home team, who brought on Scott Fraser for McMullan, then pulled themselves level on 68 minutes.
Rooney used an arm on McDonald just outside the visitors box and the setpiece was fired beautifully past goalie Jack Deighfield with the Australian’s right boot as Fraser stood and watched.
To their credit, rather than collapse the Dumfries men regained the lead with a spectacular strike from Thomson, with his second goal of the night flying past a stunned Deniz.
United huffed and puffed thereafter but the boos that rung out when the full-time whistle blew said it all.
Attendance: 4,088.
Dundee United: Deniz, Murdoch, Scobbie, Durnan, McMullan (Fraser 64), Mikkelsen, King (Smith 77), Stanton, Edjenguele, Ralston (Flood 82). Subs not used: Lewis, Slater, Robson, Gillespie, Smith.
Queen of the South: Leighfield, Rooney, (Fordyce 73) Marshall, Brownlie, Cameron, Rankin, Thomas (Carmichael 73), Thomson (Murray 78), Jacobs, Todd, Dykes. Subs not used: C. Lyle, D. Lyle, Todorov, Fergusson.
Referee: Gavin Duncan.
