An early strike from Tom McManus handed Hibernian their first league victory of 2003 and forced Partick Thistle to continue worrying about relegation.

Bobby Williamson's side survived numerous close calls to take three points they had scarcely deserved at Firhill.

Partick goalkeeper Kenny Arthur went in at the break with his gloves barely dirty having not been asked to do anything else by Hibs' toothless attack other than pick out McManus' strike.

McManus' 15th-minute strike had been something of an anomaly as it had been a well-struck finish following a creative move of quality from Williamson's struggling side.

The young forward drilled the ball past Arthur after Matthias Jack had threaded a simple but defence-opening ball into his path.

But, apart from the solitary goal, there was little to crow about for the away side.

McManus had been a pre-match fitness doubt but any question marks that might have been raised about his commitment to the game were quickly dispelled by his reaction to an early foul by Jags skipper Alan Archibald.

The flare-up saw the two players bounce against each other's chests but referee Garry Mitchell was quick to diffuse the tension.

The home side's efforts to get back in the game were initially hampered by strike pairing Gerry Britton and Alex Burns' habit of getting caught offside but gradually the chances began to come and go.

David Rowson was making things happen in midfield and, after he had fired well wide, was much closer with another long-range effort.

Burns forced a tip-round from Nick Colgan from 25 yards out and it was from his cross that Martin Hardie almost scored a goal to remember.

Burns got the better of two Hibs men down the right to get the ball to Hardie, who instantly took another two out of the equation with a sublime turn to get the ball on to his left foot just inside the box.

Both posts were clear in his vision but, although his curling effort had the beating of Colgan, it also just cleared the crossbar.

After the re-start, Burns sent an overhead kick over the bar as his side renewed the quest for an equaliser.

Another high ball into the box, from a long throw from the right, was also cleared only as far as the ex-Southend and St Mirren man in the box.

But, although he was facing the goal this time, he cleared the crossbar once again.

An even better chance came Hardie's way in the 69th minute when Rowson flicked the ball on to the far post but the Jags' man could not force the ball past Colgan from close range.

Derek Fleming sent a low drive straight at Colgan and, within seconds, was on the end of a Stephen Craigan long throw that had been headed on by Britton.

No Hibs defenders were present at the far post to stop him but he could not get there until the angle was too acute and Hibs survived once again.

It was not until the 78th minute that a yellow card was shown, with Grant Brebner being punished for pulling back Fleming.

Substitute Barry Elliot, who had come on for Jamie Buchan in the 70th minute, did find the net with 10 minutes remaining but he too had been bitten by the offside bug.

John O'Neil almost netted a blistering clincher with four minutes remaining but Arthur tipped the ball over acrobatically to record his first and only meaningful save of the afternoon.

Overall, Hibernian had been as poor as their recent record suggested but it was the Jags who left the field fretting, with their inability to put the ball in the net having cost them once again.

Teams

Partick: Arthur, Lilley, Archibald, Craigan, Paterson, Buchan (Elliot 70), Fleming, Rowson, Britton, Hardie, Burns.

Subs Not Used: Budinauckas, Gibson, Ross, Waddell.

Booked: Britton.

Hibernian: Colgan, Smith, James, Matyus, Doumbe, Murray, Jack, Brebner, McManus (Riordan 81), Paatelainen (O'Connor 56), O'Neil.

Subs Not Used: Andersson, Townsley, Arpinon.

Booked: Brebner.

Goals: McManus 15.

Att: 4,551

Ref: G Mitchell (Scotland).