Partick Thistle came from behind to earn a point against Hibernian at Firhill.

Hibs defender Colin Murdock broke the deadlock in the 68th minute after each side had hit the woodwork but that advantage was quickly wiped out by Andy Thomson's spot-kick.

Thistle knew that whatever the result of this clash of the Bank of Scotland Premier League's least prolific scorers, they would remain firmly rooted to the foot of the table.

There is a far more crucial fixture for the Jags on Tuesday when the SPL clubs meet to discuss whether promotion criteria leeway should be granted to Inverness or Clyde should either top the Bell's First Division at the end of the season.

Thistle chairman Tom Hughes has promised the response of legal action should the decision not go their way.

But, even if his case is water-tight, the Jags' defence looked far more porous.

The home side created difficulties for themselves in only the third minute when Derek Riordan was able to get to an under-hit back-pass ahead of goalkeeper Jamie Langfield.

And, when the ball was planted on to the head of Tom McManus right in front of goal, Ian Ross was somehow able to get in the way to prevent a certain goal.

Scott Brown, the teenage midfielder with the short fuse, was denied by the crossbar in the 19th minute when Langfield had only been able to flap a cross from the left from Alan Reid into his path.

Brown met the bouncing ball with a header that took it past Langfield but could only watch as it hit the bar and bounced harmlessly away.

The two sides then swapped bookings with Billy Gibson shown the yellow card in the 23rd minute for a bodycheck on Brown and, six minutes later, Kevin Nicol joined him in referee John Rowbotham's notebook for a late challenge on Stephane Bonnes.

Bonnes, the ex-Celtic forward, had sent an early volley fizzing over and was involved in a fine move that saw strike partner Andy Thomson screw a shot wide from the edge of the box.

A better chance was to come the way of the ex-QPR man when Murdock made a mess of a corner to the far post that was met by Billy Gibson.

Thomson reacted swiftly but his overhead kick from six yards out was skied over the bar.

Thomson did well to hold off Murdock in the box three minutes after the re-start and, after the duo had both toppled to the turf, Milne arrived to thump the ball past goalkeeper Daniel Andersson and back off an upright.

Milne had not been expected to play as he had suffered an injury on Dunfermline's plastic pitch last week and his participation lasted just a few seconds more when he was stretchered off after Thistle's next attack was ended by a foul by Roland Edge on Jamie Mitchell.

Derek Fleming replaced him in the 57th minute and his first contribution was to force a good save out of Andersson from the free-kick.

Brown nicked a long ball into the box past Langfield and went to ground following contact with the goalkeeper as the ball bounced wide but, again, referee Rowbotham was not interested in awarding a penalty.

The two sides then swapped goals with Murdock heading home in the 68th minute when Kevin Thomson had picked him out with a free-kick.

Kevin Thomson then conceded the penalty that was netted by his namesake Andy two minutes later, having fouled David Rowson just inside the box.

Thistle had scored just once in their previous five games and Jamie Mitchell had missed a spot-kick last week but Thomson made no mistake with a powerful, high strike.

Hibs finished the stronger but could not fashion a winner.

Teams

Partick Langfield, Anis, Ian Ross, Chiarini, Murray, Milne (Fleming 56), Mitchell, Billy Gibson, Rowson, Bonnes (Britton 79), Thomson.

Subs Not Used: Arthur, Madaschi, Howie.

Booked: Billy Gibson.

Goals: Thomson 70 pen.

Hibernian Andersson, Reid, Edge, Doumbe, Murdock, Caldwell, Nicol (Whittaker 66), Thomson, Scott Brown (O'Connor 78), McManus, Riordan.

Subs Not Used: Alistair Brown, Zambernardi, Baillie.

Booked: Nicol, Reid.

Goals: Murdock 68.

Att: 3,155

Ref: J Rowbotham (Scotland).