Partick Thistle 3 Queen’s Park 1

For their fourth game in this season’s Championship, and their fourth game at Firhill in less than 12 months, Queen’s Head Coach Robin Veldman made one change to his starting XI with Jack Turner coming in for Patrick Jarrett.

Lucas McCormick was given a spot on the bench against a home side that listed goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon for the injured David Mitchell.

The Jags kicked-off however Will Tizzard was quickly into possession and he played a nice pass to Ben MacPherson with the Spiders switching the ball to the left before an attack from Cameron Bruce was halted.

Thistle’s Aidan Fitzpatrick created danger in the second minute with a solo run on Thistle’s left with his parting shot striking Tizzard before going to safety.

Tizzard was again in the right place to defend properly on five minutes as he headed away a Steven Lawless cross after the wide-man had combined with Jack McMillan to wriggle free on the opposite flank.

Charlie Fox tried to release Barry Hepburn two minutes later with a 50-yard cross-field pass however Harry Milne nipped in to head the ball back to Sneddon.

On 10 minutes Ben McPherson’s sliding pass did release Hepburn who won a corner off Muirhead. The winger drilled the dead-ball to the edge of the box where it was met by Turner however he sent a first time shot over with Dom Thomas firing a low drive wide a minute later from the same range.

As Queen’s kept on probing Turner slipped a pass to Thomson who picked out the darting Hepburn with Sneddon sticking out a foot to keep out his shot.

The hosts enjoyed a good period of possession on 18 minutes and a succession of crosses were fired across Callan McKenna’s with the visiting goalkeeper doing well to block a header from Harry Milne at his near post.

There was a bizarre booking a minute later when substitute Alex Bannon, who was warming up behind the goal, picked the ball up just as it was rolling out the playing surface however referee Irvine viewed that it was still in play with his yellow card shown and Queen’s defending the resultant free-kick.

Midway through the opening half Queen’s created the next opening with Ruari Paton just inches away from turning in a wicked Thomas free-kick.

Thistle raced to the other end and Kerr McInroy looked to have swept home a cut-back however McKenna dived to his left to push his effort away.

On 26 minutes there was nothing McKenna could do as Lawless crossed from the right and although Fitzpatrick took a swipe and missed McInroy tucked the chance home from 9 yards.

Four minutes later the hosts doubled their lead with Lawless again involved with an inch perfect cross that allowed Brian Graham to take the ball on his chest before sliding a shot into a corner.

Within two minutes Queen’s were back in the game with PATON creating danger and then finding the net. The striker set Hepburn free on the right after a nice exchange of passes and the on-loan Bayern Munich player dashed into the home box before picking out Thomson and when he was crowded out Paton wasted no time in cracking home the loose ball from 14 yards.

The excitement continued with Thistle’s Ben Stanway curling a shot wide before only a leaping Sneddon punch away prevented Paton reaching another Hepburn cross.

Two minutes from the break Hepburn looked set to race towards the home goal however whistler Irvine halted him in his tracks by stopping the game for an infringement on Thomson and booking Stanway with Milne joining his team-mate in the book just as injury time started.

Thomas appeared to have created a late chance for Paton with a run and low cross however Aaron Muirhead was just able to clear.

Half-time: Partick Thistle 2 Queen’s Park 1

Queen’s restarted with Tommy Robson on in place of Bruce and he got an early touch as the kick-off was played into his path.

McPherson on the other flank was also quickly involved after the restart when a surge forward took him deep into the Thistle box with his cross just taken off the head of Paton.

Four minutes into the second 45 minutes the visitors came within inches of an equaliser as the ball was worked from left to right between Thomas, Thomson and McPherson before McPherson rolled a pass to Thomson who sent a fierce curling shot just over.

Skipper Thomas ensured his side kept up their bright start by getting free on the left and sending a shot whistling wide of the far post before testing Sneddon with a chipped shot from 20 yards that the Thistle shot-stopper was equal to.

Despite the promising signs shown it was Thistle that grabbed the next goal on 57 minutes as McInroy charged clear towards McKenna’s goal to accept another Lawless pass and deftly flick over the goalkeeper.

The Black and Whites looked to get back into things however Thomas and then Fox overhit passes in good positions and Thistle were not threatened.

Robson tried to capitalise on Paton and McPherson combining with a well-struck shot from 20 yards however it was deflected away from the home goal and on 67 minutes a headed knockdown from Hepburn went unconverted.

Three minutes later another knockdown from Hepburn was picked up by Paton with Muirhead doing well to block the striker’s turn and shot.

On 81 minutes McPherson’s push to get Queen’s a second goal with a charging run on the right wing was halted by a crunching sliding challenge from Milne.

Fox played a precise pass to Jarrett with seven minutes left with the substitute finding his way to goal blocked however Queen’s, who were still backed by their noisy supporters, kept pushing and forced three corners in quick succession however there was to be no second or third goal.

Queen’s Park – Callan McKenna, Ben McPherson, Will Tizzard, Charlie Fox, Cameron Bruce (Tommy Robson 46), Jack Thomson (Patrick Jarrett 76), Jack Spong, Jack Turner, Barry Hepburn (Liam McLeish 76), Dom Thomas, Ruari Paton.

Unused substitutes – Calum Ferrie (G/k), Alex Bannon, Lewis Reid, Louis Longridge, Ricky Waugh, Lucas McCormick.

Partick Thistle – Jamie Sneddon, Jack McMillan, Harry Milne, Aaron Muirhead, Lewis Neilson, Kerr McInroy (Scott Robinson 84), Stuart Bannigan, Brian Graham, Steven Lawless, Aidan Fitzpatrick (Kieran Ngwenya 72), Ben Stanway (Zander MacKenzie 89).

Unused substitutes – Mason McCready (G/k), Ben Williamson, Blair Alston, Wes McDonald, James Lyon, Tomi Adeloye.

Referee: Grant Irvine.