A deflected second-half strike by Jamie Mitchell gave relegated Partick a
well-deserved 2-1 win over a nervy Hibernian at Easter Road.
A Colin Murdock header in 32nd minute gave the home side the lead but the
advantage lasted only five minutes before Jags veteran James Grady fired Thistle
level from close range.
After starting the match cautiously, the Maryhill men gradually grew in
confidence and when Mitchell's 59th-minute drive was deflected in off Murdock,
there was no way back for the Leith men.
The loss of young midfielder Kevin Thomson after only 10 minutes following a
foul by Jags midfielder Willie Howie was a further frustration for the Leith
side, who started well but failed to match the spirited visitors.
In a feisty start to the game, it was the home side who registered the first
effort on goal after only four minutes when a Roland Edge cut-back from the left
hand side found Stephen Dobbie at the edge of the box but the Hibs striker's
first-time shot went high over the bar.
Hibs however, were dealt a blow when Thomson was carried off after a seemingly
innocuous foul by Howie. Alen Orman came on as substitute.
As the first half wore on the visitors grew in confidence and gradually came
out of their shell, although Hibs keeper Daniel Andersson was seeing little
action apart from easily picking up a Grady shot from 25 yards on the half-hour
mark.
But the deadlock was broken in the 32nd minute with a simple goal from the
home side.
A Tom McManus corner from the right was cleared back out but when the former
Scotland Under-21 international crossed it back into the middle, the Thistle
defence stood still as Hibs defender Murdock stooped to head past goalkeeper
Kenny Arthur from close range.
Five minutes later, the visitors were level after Jags midfielder Jean
Yves Anis found Grady with a cut-back only eight yards out and the little
striker turned and slotted the ball into the corner.
After starting the game cautiously, the Maryhill men eventually finished the
first half the stronger, looking confident as they went for more goals.
The Easter Road had finished the first half on the ropes and after the break
it became clear that the buoyant Jags were in no mood to relinquish their
ascendancy.
And a couple of inswinging crosses from the left by substitute Orman, both
easily gathered by Arthur, was never going to cause Thistle any danger.
The visitors were looking sharp and inventive and there was no real surprise
when the tenacious Glasgow side took the lead in the 59th minute.
After good lead-up play in a counter-attack, midfielder Billy Gibson drove
into the Hibs box and although his run was stopped, the ball broke to Mitchell,
whose 16-yard effort beat Andersson with the aid of a deflection off Murdock.
Despite an increased effort from the home side to get back level, Thistle
looked comfortable enough in their lead whilst always hinting that they could
snatch another goal.
In the 80th minute, however, a tremendous Murdock header from a McManus corner
was brilliantly saved by Arthur, the Jags keeper flying to his left to parry
clear to keep his side's lead intact.
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