Hibernian 2-0 Queen of the South

Niklas Gunnarsson scored Hibs' opener

Hibernian's two-goal win over 10-man Queen of the South was not enough to overhaul Falkirk for second place in the Scottish Championship.

Alan Stubbs' team will now have a footballing marathon ahead of them if they are to achieve promotion.

They will face Raith Rovers in the play-off's initial round, with the winner progressing to face Falkirk.

The visitors had Mark Millar sent off before Niklas Gunnarsson and Jason Cummings netted for Stubbs' men.

With Falkirk winning 1-0 against Greenock Morton, Hibs needed to score two more goals to save themselves those extra games against Rovers.

They had chances, but much to the agony of the home crowd, they could not take them. This was a wounding day for Hibs.

Profligacy costs Hibs

Given Queens' record in shipping goals this season - no side in the top seven of the Championship has conceded more - they looked like ideal opponents for Hibs, a side that could be comfortably swept aside.

Of course, nothing comes easily to Hibs and, instead of a soft touch, they encountered a well-organised Queens who defended stoutly - while also riding their luck as the game went on - and showed little of the defensive vulnerability of recent weeks.

Hibs had a few moments in the opening half. Liam Henderson forced a save from James Atkinson, Anthony Stokes did likewise later on, John McGinn did the same before the half was over.

In between, Queens could have scored themselves, Dale Hilson thundering a shot over Conrad Logan's crossbar when in fine position to do a whole lot better.

The new half had just begun when news filtered through from Falkirk that Peter Houston's team had taken the lead.

Now Hibs had a huge problem on their hands, a problem that only grew when James Keatings spurned a wonderful chance when put through on goal.

The striker had to score but had his shot blocked by Atkinson. Hibs could not afford such profligacy on this day of all days.

Their cause was helped when Millar was sent-off for an ugly tackle on McGinn. That was in the 55th minute. Still time for a goal rush against the 10-men.

Cummings would get Hibs' second, but the hosts needed two more to claim second place

Again, though, Hibs wasted a chance, Henderson flicking wide from close range.

Just after the hour, Stubbs brought on Cummings - surprisingly dropped from his original team - and Hibs morphed into a 4-2-4 and, at times, a 3-2-5 - with Cummings, Stokes, Keatings and Martin Boyle all hunting for the goals they so desperately needed to get above Falkirk and into second place.

The irony was that, when the goal came, it was full-back Gunnarsson who got it and not one of the battalion of forwards that Stubbs had on the park. Gunnarsson turned in a Henderson cross to give Hibs some hope.

Cummings made it two with a header from a wonderful cross from Boyle, but Queens held out after that.

More to the point, so did Falkirk against Morton.

Houston's side have a week off before the play-off semi-final. Hibs, meanwhile, will have a brief moment to draw breath before going back out against Rovers on Wednesday.