Jason Cummings brace boosts Dundee into contention for Premiership place

Jason Cummings scored a first-half brace as Dundee secured second place in the Scottish Championship with a 2-0 victory away to Queen of the South.

Play-off rivals Raith dropped down to third after a 4-0 defeat to champions Hearts which set up a match with fourth-placed Dunfermline; the winners then face Dundee for a place in the Premiership.

Paul McMullan struck the crossbar as Dundee pushed for an opener and it arrived via Cummings after 17 minutes as he slotted McMullan’s assist home for his seventh Championship goal of the season.

The former Hibernian striker completed his brace with his third goal from the last two and netted the Dark Blues’ second of the night 11 minutes before the break with McMullan again setting up the Scotland forward to finish down the centre of the Queens goal.