Sean Higgins revealed that confidence is still high in the Blue Brazil dressing room that the drop to League One can be avoided.
Championship play-off contenders Queen’s bludgeoned the ‘Beath defence for most of the game though the visitors held firm for much of the match.
Higgins said: “They deserved to win, but the score line was a bit harsh. It kind of sums us up.
“Our goal difference is horrendous. We tried to get back in the game and get a point and went for it. But the goals we lost were poor. It was disappointing.”
Higgins scored on the hour mark to throw the Central Park men a lifeline, but then passed up a gilt-edged chance in 75 minutes to level the game, seconds before Mark Durnan netted the crucial third for the Palmerston Park outfit.
He added: “If I score and make it 2-2 it changes the game. It just went the wrong side of the post, but I think it would have been harsh on Queen’s to be honest.
“With results elsewhere we haven’t lost any ground, but we can’t look for other people to do us favours. We just can’t seem to get a result just now apart from the draw with Rangers at home.
“There is confidence and belief in the dressing room that we will stay up, the confidence is not on the park at the moment. We have really good footballers in the club, but some of them are just not showing it just now because of the nerves.
“We just have to put things together. It has been a challenging season, and was always going to be hard with the teams in the division.
“We knew we were going to be fighting at the bottom. We have a lot of young players in the team and it has been a learning process for them.”
Iain Russell scored the opener after 27 minutes, heading home from six yards, after the ‘Beath defence were posted missing.
Queen’s got a second five minutes into the second half when Michael Paton cleverly clipped the ball into the net.
Cowdenbeath pulled one back on the hour when Higgins scored from an acute angle, after Robbie Buchanan pounced on a blunder by Kevin Holt.
But the points were secured by the Dumfries side in 75 minutes when Durnan came off the bench to net at the near post with his first touch when he volleyed home Mark Millar’s corner from the right.
Queen’s added a fourth one minute from the end when substitute Derek Lyle lashed the ball into the far corner of the net.
Blue Brazil boss Jimmy Nicholl said: “We shot ourselves in the foot with horrific defending.
“It’s the same thing time and time again and it shows with the amount of goals we have conceded. We never gave ourselves the chance to get back and win a football game.”
Queen’s midfielder Millar said: “We have massive games coming up with Hearts, Hibs, Rangers and Falkirk in a row.
“It’s four cup finals if we want to get into the play offs. But we have Raith Rovers before that on Tuesday night and have to apply ourselves correctly.”