John O'Neil rescued a point for Hibs from the penalty spot after it seemed certain Alex Burns had won the match for the Jags.

The Thistle striker had provided Hibs with his own piece of justice to hand the Glasgow side a shock lead.

The former Livingston striker would have scored late in the second half when Hibs keeper Nick Colgan presented him with an open goal after missing a long clearance, only to haul him down outside the box.

Colgan was sent off, but Burns then simply stroked the resulting free kick past substitute keeper Tony Caig.

Just as it seemed certain Partick had done enough, Daniele Chiarini hauled down Derek Townsley in the box and O'Neil netted the spotkick.

In a poor first half, the first attempt on goal didn't arrive until the ninth minute when Paco Luna headed Craig James' looping cross from the left over the bar.

Luna at least looked lively and if Mixu Paatelainen had given him a better return pass in the 14th minute, he would have had a clear run on Kenny Arthur in the Jags goal.

Thistle finally ventured up the park two minutes later and it took a fine tackle from Paul Fenwick to prevent Alex Burns latching onto Gerry Britton's pass.

Hibs came closest in the 21st minute when Paatelainen flashed a header just wide at the back post from James' brilliantly delivered free kick.

Thistle gave the home side a real scare two minutes later when Stephen Craigan's long throw was flicked on by Martin Hardie and Gerry Britton poked the ball just wide from close range.

Scotland B squad keeper Kenny Arthur made his first save of the match in the 28th minute when James drilled Gary Smith's delivery low into the arms of the Jags keeper.

Hibs started the second half with more purpose at least and Paatelainen headed wide from another decent cross from left wing back James.

But James himself was guilty of wasting a decent chance four minutes into the half when he tamely shot straight at Kenny Arthur from the edge of the box when the ball was sitting up nicely for him to smash it on target.

Hibs were coming closer all the time and Yannick Zambernardi almost brought Easter Road to its feet in the 59th minute with a drive from fully 35 yards which whizzed just past the post.

Hibs took off Alen Orman and replaced him with the attacking option of Derek Townsley as they attempted to break down the tough Jags rearguard.

And Townsley's first attack was to slide in on Kenny Milne in an attempt to reach Paco Luna's cross. But the Thistle defender was then stretchered off after the challenge.

Hibs keeper Colgan was red carded in the 77th minute. He made a complete mess of a long clearance and allowed Burns to nip in front of him at the edge of the box. Burns would have scored, until Colgan hauled him down and was sent off.

Justice was done however when Burns stepped up and simply placed a low free kick past Caig.

But O'Neil grabbed that equaliser after Thistle's Chiarini brought down Townsley in the box and O'Neil stroked home the spot kick.

Teams:

Hibernian Colgan, Orman (Townsley 64), Smith, Zambernardi, James, Murray, Fenwick, O'Neil, Wiss (McManus 83), Luna (Caig 78), Paatelainen.

Subs Not Used: Brebner, Jack.

Sent Off: Colgan (79).

Goals: O'Neil 89 pen.

Partick Arthur, Lilley, Milne (Lennon 65), Craigan, Chiarini, Paterson, Mitchell, Hardie, Archibald, Britton (McLean 45), Burns.

Subs Not Used: Budinauckas, Waddell, Gibson.

Booked: Chiarini.

Goals: Burns 78.

Att: 10,317

Ref: C Thomson (Scotland).