David Hopkin’s men would have clinched the championship with a win but went down to a disappointing defeat at the Toryglen Regional Sports Centre in Glasgow against third-placed Spiders.

They remain top of the table but have completed their fixtures and sit two points ahead of Dundee, who have one game in hand, and three above last night’s opponents, who have two games left.

A Ton side featuring Derek Gaston, Scott Taggart, Thomas O’Ware and Kabba-Modou Cham - and watched by a healthy crowd which included chairman Douglas Rae, son Crawford and manager Kenny Shiels – got off to a slow start.

They were fortunate not to find themselves trailing in the first five minutes as Joao Victoria drew a fine save from Gaston and then prodded against the inside of the post from close range. But the dangerous Portuguese striker would not be denied and blasted home the opener on 16 minutes after Sean Rooney’s cross was headed back into the danger area by Lee Davidson.

The hosts were an overly physical side and defender O’Ware was the first of many Ton players to go down injured over the night following a head knock which left him concussed.

He was replaced by Luke Irvine and headed straight to hospital after leaving the pitch groggy and seemingly unsure of his surroundings.

After a less than stellar first half hour, Ton began to threaten and Jordan Cairnie saw a header cleared off the line after meeting a Cameron O’Neil corner with a powerful header.

Under-17s skipper Dylan Stevenson was handed a start, and he picked out Cham with a dangerous cross right on half-time.

The Gambian glanced his header narrowly wide of the upright, however, and was hooked at the interval following an ineffective first half.

David McNeil was sent on in his place, while wideman Aidan Fulton came on for Stevenson 10 minutes into the second half as Ton looked for a leveller.

But it was the Glasgow club who would double their advantage when sub James Baty swept into the bottom-left corner from 18 yards after Scott Gibson had picked him out with a smart corner.

Ton’s slim hopes of a comeback were made all the more remote when Aidan Ferris was forced off injured 20 minutes from time, leaving the Cappielow club to play out the fixture with 10 men.

The teenage striker, who was handed his first-team debut on Saturday, was stretchered away with suspected medial ligament damage to put the tin lid on an unhappy evening.

Hopkin told the Tele: “I’m disappointed for the kids that they haven’t won the last game, but I thought Queen’s Park bullied us.

“A couple of their tackles were horrendous. Thomas O’Ware is away to hospital concussed and young Aidan Ferris is away to hospital.

“We think Aidan has done his medial ligament. He could be out for a while depending on how bad it is.

“There were actually six or seven Queen’s Park players booked - but I was more disappointed with our first half performance, to be honest.

“The second half we tried to pass it about a bit but had to play the last 25 minutes with 10 men having used all our subs.

“It’s not over yet. Dundee and Queen’s Park will have to win. The worst-case scenario is that we end up third.

“But it’s been a great season. We have to remember most of them are 17 or 18, and they have come on leaps and bounds since the summer.

“It’s disappointing to fall at the final hurdle but we have to look at the bigger picture and the development of players. Overall the boys have done great.” l Morton (4-1-2-1-2): Gaston (7); Taggart (6), Cairnie (6), O’Ware (5) (Irvine 31, 6), Knight (6); Verlaque (6); Stevenson (6) (Fulton 55, 5), Russell (6); O’Neil (5); Cham (4) (McNeil 46, 5), Ferris (6).

Subs not used: Eadie