First division

Published on Friday 4 December 2009 23:12

PARTICK THISTLE entertain Dundee this afternoon looking to close the gap at the top of the league. The Firhill side have, however, struggled for consistency of late and have not won consecutive league matches since early October with recent victories over Inverness and Greenock Morton following defeats to Dunfermline and Raith Rovers.

With Dundee now five points clear, Partick manager Ian McCall will be desperate to stop that gap getting any bigger and he will take confidence from his side's excellent home record. Thistle have dropped only four points and conceded just three goals at Firhill so far this season. Dundee have opened a slender gap at the top of the table and are now starting to show why they are favourites for the title. Their midweek win over Ross County made it nine games without defeat in the

league while Jocky Scott's men have also improved their away form. Having failed to win any of their first four games on the road, the Dens Park side have now won two of their last three. They can also

boast an excellent recent record against Thistle having lost only one of their last nine meetings and conceding just once in the last five.