Ten-man Motherwell battled back to salvage a well-deserved point against Thistle in a bad-tempered clash at Fir Park which saw 12 players booked and Well striker James McFadden sent off.

In an ugly first half, Well youngster David Clarkson gave the home side the lead before Alex Burns equalised for the visitors.

McFadden was given his marching orders for two bookable offences and when Burns notched his brace from the spot just after half-time, it looked like the Jags would go on to secure the points.

But dogged Motherwell kept going and got their just rewards when David Partridge's late header gave the Lanarkshire men a share of the spoils.

The home side took the lead after nine minutes and it was youngster Clarkson, making his maiden start for the Lanarkshire side, who got his first goal for the club.

Midfielder Derek Adams took a short corner to McFadden on the left and the Scotland international's cross was deflected high into the six-yard box.

Clarkson went up for an overhead kick and although it seemed an untidy strike, the ball ended up beyond Thistle keeper Kenny Arthur in the net.

Moments later Clarkson should have scored his second from a McFadden cross but somehow managed to send his close-range header wide Arthur's left-hand post.

The home side were in control and the Jags' cause was made more difficult in the 15th minute when Jamie Mitchell was stretchered off following a Partridge tackle, to be replaced by Paul Walker.

But from the resulting free-kick 20 yards from goal, ex-Motherwell striker Alex Burns rifled a tremendous shot into the top corner of the net giving keeper Francois Dubourdeau no chance at all.

There was little between the teams as the first half wore on although McFadden, floating between the left and right, was head and shoulders above anyone else on the park.

In the 35th minute Thistle substitute Walker brought another fine save from Dubourdeau with angled shot from 12 yards.

A minute later McFadden, booked earlier for a foul on Buchan, was shown a second yellow for a challenge on Stephen Craigan and departed the action.

The game then began to boil over with vendettas being waged out all over the pitch and Motherwell knew their task would be a tough one in the second half.

However, they almost equalised two minutes after the restart. A Scott Leitch free-kick was headed back off the post by Dirk Lehmann from 12 yards and from the rebound Partridge scooped over from under the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

But Thistle raced up the other end and were awarded a soft penalty when Walker was clumsily fouled by Motherwell defender William Kinniburgh.

Burns stepped up to slot the ball into the corner for his second goal of the game and the visitors were in the driving seat.

The goal seemed to knock some of the stuffing out the home side and although they continued to recover the situation, there was a lack of conviction about their play.

But in the 57th minute Lehmann, who had moved up front to partner Clarkson, drew a great save from Arthur with a left-footed 30-yard shot which the Jags keeper did well to parry to safety.

Burns dropped back into the midfield but with a hat-trick on the cards he was never slow in backing up his forwards.

And on the hour mark he flighted a 25-yard free-kick just over the Well crossbar.

In the 74th minute a Lehmann header from the edge of the box was tipped onto the crossbar and over by Arthur but a minute later the home side got a deserved equaliser when Well defender Partridge floated in a header which went in off the far post.

Teams

Motherwell: Dubourdeau, Corrigan, Hammell, Partridge, Kinniburgh, Pearson, Adams, Leitch (Fagan 66), Lehmann (Ramsey 90), McFadden, Clarkson (Ferguson 82).

Subs Not Used: Quinn, Woods.

Sent Off: McFadden (37).

Booked: McFadden, Pearson, Leitch, Lehmann, Kinniburgh, Hammell.

Goals: Clarkson 9, Partridge 77.

Partick: Arthur, Lilley, Archibald, Craigan, Paterson, Buchan (McKinstry 77), Mitchell (Walker 18), Hardie, Lennon, Britton (Waddell 61), Burns.

Subs Not Used: Budinauckas, Gibson.

Booked: Archibald, Buchan, Britton, Hardie.

Goals: Burns 19, 49 pen.

Att: 6,262

Ref: Ian Fyfe (Scotland).