Queen of the South defender Andy Dowie is targeting three points at any cost in Gary Naysmith's first match as manager.

Naysmith begins his new job in Tuesday night's game against bottom club St Mirren - 24 hours after his last match as East Fife boss, against Edinburgh City in the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Queens, who have no fresh injuries, were top of the table earlier in the campaign but have slid down to sixth in the Ladbrokes Championship after six consecutive defeats.

Experienced centre-half Dowie told his club's official website: "We are looking forward to getting to work under the new manager and looking forward to the first game on Tuesday night. We need to win on Tuesday night, in any way we can.

"I think everyone is surprised by St Mirren this season. They have good players and I would have thought they would have been in around the top four."

St Mirren, who have Jack Baird suspended, have also lost their last six league games and have a manager looking for his first points in charge. Jack Ross has put his faith in youth, playing the likes of 17-year-old Kyle McAllister and 18-year-old Kyle Magennis. But, while it has been widely acknowledged that performances have improved, results have not.

"I do believe we're capable of going on a run of results," Ross told the St Mirren website. "It's okay saying performances have improved but football is a results-driven business

"Usually results go hand in hand with performances, so if the performance level stays as it is, then results will come."