Raith Rovers manager Grant Murray insisted luck was against his side as they went down 1-0 in Dumfries on Saturday.
Ian McShane’s 25th-minute strike settled the contest in favour of Queen of the South as Rovers made it four games without a goal.
The result also continued Rovers’ poor recent run of form that has seen them collect just one win from the last seven league games.
Murray said: “We were disappointed we didn’t win at Morton last week and we’re disappointed not to score today considering the chances we created.
“If Ross Callachan’s shot goes in instead of rebounding off the post, then we’re straight back in the game.
“Sometimes you just need that wee rub of the green and that wee break. It wasn’t for the lack of trying or getting forwards on the pitch.
“We were scoring freely earlier in the season and we need to get back to that. We’re creating chances, it’s just getting people on the end of them.“
Raith made one change from the side that drew 0-0 with Morton last week, with team captain Jason Thomson returning from suspension to replace Fraser Mullen at right- back.
The first real chance of the game fell to the Fifers on the 15-minute mark as Callum Booth appeared in the Doonhamers’ box to send a left-foot shot into the near post side-netting. Queens should have scored four minutes later as Ross Laidlaw palmed a Michael Paton free-kick straight to Iain Russell but the striker fired wide in front of a gaping goal.
The home side took the lead in the 25th minute when midfielder McShane ran into the Raith box unchallenged to finish off a lovely lay-off from Derek Lyle.
Within a minute, Raith replaced injured midfielder Kevin Moon with striker Greig Spence and switched from a 4-5-1 to a 4-4-2 formation.
Rovers made a strong push for an equaliser before half-time with Callachan thumping a 25-yard shot off the post, while Grant Anderson went through one-on-one with goalkeeper Zander Clark, who managed to make a good block.
It took Raith a while to get going after the break and Queens almost doubled their lead in the 65th minute when Russell had time to tee up a shot 18 yards out, but he dragged his effort wide.
It took the visitors until the 72nd minute to register their first attempt of the second half as Joe Cardle fired an 18-yard shot just wide from Calum Elliot’s lay-off.
Rovers finished the match with five attackers on the pitch as Lewis Vaughan replaced Liam Fox with 15 minutes left, and they had Queens pinned back.
However, constant pressure failed to provide an equaliser, allowing Queens to move within two points of fourth-placed Raith, with a game in hand.