Magic Matej Poplatnik sparked a Raith Rovers party as his headed double helped down Queens to ensure the SPFL Trust Trophy stays in Kirkcaldy.
Poplatnik planted two headers past Josh Rae either side of an Ally Roy equaliser to settle a thrilling ding-dong in Airdrie.
The wasteful Doonhamers will be cursing their luck after striking the woodwork four times in the first half.
But in the end it was on-loan Livingston hitman Poplatnik who made the difference with his aerial power
By the end he looked more Rab C Poplatnik than Matej after picking up an injury at the first goal which resulted in him being heavily bandaged.
But the Slovenian striker wasn’t caring as he made it five goals in his last four outings to seal the cup before Ethan Ross made sure of it.
They may have been holders in name but nobody in the Kirkcaldy outfit had got their hands on the silverware after covid put paid to the final two years ago. That all changed on Sunday afternoon though.
Both sides were chasing their third success in the competition as they went toe-to-toe in Airdrie.
Raith welcomed back veteran goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald - a member of Queens’ famous 2008 Scottish Cup Final side - from injury but Christophe Berra had to make do with a place on the bench after missing the last two weeks with a calf complaint.
MacDonald was completing a unique set of finals - having played in the Scottish Cup showpiece three times with Queens, Hearts and Falkirk as well as the League Cup Final with the Jambos.
Queens had a strong Rovers connection in their midst too with Grant Murray - who led the Kirkcaldy side to their 2014 final victory over Rangers - in the dug out as Gibson’s number two.
They started brightly and Roy had a strong effort deflected just over after scampering down the right before MacDonald punched the resultant corner clear.
Roy then got in behind the Raith defence after being released by Harry Cochrane but the livewire’s effort from 18 yards was straight at MacDonald.
Yet it was Raith who surged ahead with their first chance in the 16th minute after a sweeping move down the right flank.
Skipper for the day Ross Matthews fed Reghan Tumilty whose first time cross was perfect for the onrushing Matej Poplatnik to bullet a header past Rae.
It was a sickener for the South. And they could have fallen further behind when Aidan Connolly tried his luck from 25 yards two minutes later only for Rae to gather at the second attempt.
The keeper was called upon again after 26 minutes to save as Sam Stanton scampered clear after being released by Poplatnik.
But Queens were a lick of paint away from levelling on the half hour when Darragh O’Connor’s mishit effort spun up off the turf and off the post with Roy somehow contriving to completely miss the ball as he followed-up just a yard out.
It was an incredible miss and typified the fortune of a side stuck at the bottom of the table - something that was further exemplified when Euan East thumped a header off the underside of the bar from Lee Connolly’s corner just before the break.
But just when they thought their luck was completely out the Doonhamers finally found the equaliser right on half time after another spot of woodwork bashing.
O’Connor slammed an effort off the bar only for Roy to see his follow-up rebound off the post - but finally the frontman got it right as he stuck a toe into an almighty stramash in the six yard box to poke home.
It was no more than the Dumfries men deserved.
Josh Todd forced MacDonald into the first action of the second half when his angled effort had to be touched over. And from the corner the keeper blocked East’s header at point blank range.
The momentum remained with the men in blue yet they couldn’t find the killer touch in front of goal.
And they were made to pay. Raith had always looked dangerous when they broke and Matthews’ slide-rule pass released Tumilty whose well-struck low effort was saved by the legs of Rae.
But then Poplatnik stepped up to plant another header beyond Rae from an Aidan Connolly corner with 20 minutes to go.
For the large Kirkcaldy contingent in the 4,452 crowd it was the signal to start the party. In their own words, a Poplatnik Party.
And Ross made sure eight minutes later with the killer third.
