A late goal from Alex Burns gave battling Partick all three points and got new manager Gerry Collins' reign off to a promising start.

Departing Thistle boss John Lambie had handed over the reins to his assistant before the game and the Thistle players responded with a tenacious display.

In a Bank of Scotland Premier League game that was played with only pride at stake, the dogged Jags twice equalised after falling behind.

Hibs midfielder Matthias Jack gave the home side the lead with a header after only eight minutes only for it to be cancelled out just before the half hour by a tremendous Gerry Britton volley from inside the box which gave Nick Colgan no chance.

Hibs youngster Scott Brown was left unmarked in the 34th minute for a simple tap-in to regain the lead but after the interval a powerful David Rowson shot levelled the scores.

With the game heading for a draw Burns, who had missed a couple of earlier chances, sent a diving header past Colgan to take the points.

It was the home side who started the brighter and there was no surprise when they took the lead after eight minutes with a simple goal.

Derek Riordan hit a dangerous inswinging free-kick from near the right corner flag and midfielder Jack evaded his marker to skim a header past Jags keeper Kenny Arthur and into the roof of the net.

The Jags should have equalised almost immediately when Alex Burns had only Colgan to beat but a good challenge by Ian Murray put the former Motherwell player off and in the end his shot went wide.

But the dogged Thistle eventually equalised in the 28th minute when striker Britton picked up a headed clearance from Murray and volleyed an unstoppable shot past Colgan and into the roof of the net from 14 yards.

It was a stunning goal but the visitors' joy was not to last long.

In the 34th minute the home side regained the lead with a well worked goal involving two of their promising youngsters.

Wing-back Steven Whittaker did well to reach the byline and when his cut back came into the six yard box, Brown was unmarked and knocked the ball past the helpless Arthur.

Thistle should have drawn level just before the break when defender Ian Ross set up the unmarked Jamie Mitchell only 12 yards from goal but the Jags midfielder panicked and blasted his shot high over the bar.

After the interval, the game started brightly again and it was Hibs who were forcing the pace, pushing the Firhill men back towards their own goal.

Riordan's 49h minute free-kick from wide on the right had Thistle defender David Lilley stretching to concede a corner with Brown waiting to pounce at the back post.

In the 51st minute battling Thistle equalised again. Substitute Derek Fleming, on in the first half for Ricky Waddell, floated a free-kick into the Hibs box and when the ball was only knocked out to Rowson at the edge of the box, the Jags midfielder thundered a low drive through a crowded box and past a flailing Colgan who got a touch but could not prevent the ball crossing the line.

In the 58th minute the pendulum almost swung back towards the home side when Grant Brebner found himself half a yard inside the Jags box but the midfielder's powerful shot from around 10 yards was well stopped by Arthur at his near post.

In the 85th minute Jags top-scorer Burns made up for missing several earlier chances when he headed a Mitchell corner into the roof of the net for a late winner.

Teams

Hibernian Colgan, Whittaker (McManus 66), Smith, Matyus, Murray, Brebner, Jack, Wiss (Nicol 77), Thompson, Scott Brown, Riordan.

Subs Not Used: Alistair Brown, Reid, O'Neill.

Booked: Wiss, Brebner.

Goals: Jack 8, Scott Brown 34.

Partick Arthur, Lilley, McGowne, Milne, Hardie (Charnley 87), Rowson, Mitchell, Ross, Waddell (Fleming 18), Burns, Britton, Fleming (Whyte 63).

Subs Not Used: Pinkowski, Gibson.

Booked: Britton, Burns.

Goals: Britton 29, Rowson 52, Burns 86.

Att: 9,286

Ref: J Underhill (Scotland).