DEREK Holmes' deadly treble kept Queen of the South top of the First Division and heightened Caley Thistle's home misery. The former Hearts man claimed a true hat-trick with left and right foot strikes and a header.
Calamity struck after barely 30 seconds as Dennis Wyness whipped a pass on to Derek Holmes' chest who controlled neatly before lifting a 25-yard shot over the diving Ryan Esson.
Caley Thistle looked rattled for a spell but grabbed the equaliser af
ter 18 minutes. Jonny Hayes' left foot free-kick from 25 yards out was struck with some venom and beat flailing keeper David Hutton.
Queens enjoyed better luck after the break when half-time substitute Willie McLaren skinned Ross Tokely and Narius Bulvitis on the left, but his cross was thwarted by Grant Munro.
Dougie Imrie's introduction after an injury stretching back to early August raised the biggest cheer of the second half.
The attacker cut to the edge of the box after 79 minutes but his swerving strike was well-held by Hutton.
But Queens grabbed the vital second seven minutes from time.
Quinn's free-kick picked out the imposing figure of Holmes and his glancing header nestled past Esson from all of six yards.
Holmes then hammered the final nail in the hosts' coffin after good work by Stewart Kean set him up for an attempt at goal and a left foot swipe into the bottom left-hand corner of Esson's net.
