Partick Thistle 2-1 Inverness CT: Jags secure vital three points

Partick Thistle celebrate after Ryan Stevenson's goal gave them the victory. Picture: SNS

There was also a minute’s applause for McMaster in the 66th minute, marking the age at which he died.

“I was at Brown’s funeral last week and he gave a lot to this club, so it’s fitting that we got the win for him,” said Archibald. “His family were here today so it’s a pleasing moment for us.”

In this tale of two Thistles, it was the Glasgow version which proved to have the jagged edge, even though it took Inverness only six minutes to break the deadlock.

Leading goalscorer Miles Storey did the damage after Danny Williams’ through ball had sprung the offside trap.

With the home rearguard static, the 21-year-old timed his run perfectly to send a low, angled drive behind Ryan Scully from the far corner of the six-yard box for his sixth goal of the season.

It took the hosts until midway through the first half before they provided a genuine threat of their own. Callum Booth’s run and cross provided the opening and Kris Doolan’s downward header was finger-tipped over the bar by Owain Fon Williams.

Doolan had another opportunity from the resulting corner but this time his shot on the turn failed to find the target.

The home side could not be faulted for effort and midfielder Steven Lawless came close with a raking 20-yarder as their rivals sat deep, content to hit on the break.

Fon Williams had to race from his line to block an effort by Doolan from point-blank range in the 41st minute, but the striker earned the reward for his persistence in their next attack.

Released by Lawless, he used his upper-body strength to hold off his marker and beat the goalkeeper low to his left from an acute angle.

Partick continued to force the pace after the restart and they were grateful to Fon Williams again as the Welshman held Gary Fraser’s header from a David Amoo cross.

The goalkeeper defied them once again in the 68th minute with a fine double save from Lawless and Gary Fraser.

However, Fon Williams, possibly distracted by the considerable presence of Matthias Pogba, was a hapless spectator as a speculative shot from Ryan Stevenson on the far touchline drifted past him and into the net.

Partick have now lost only one of their last six meetings with Inverness, winning four of them, although they conceded that there was more than an element of luck about their winner.

“We’re delighted to be on the other end of a late goal because it’s happened to us a few times recently,” said Archibald. “It feels a lot better than losing a late one, as we did against Dundee.

“I think we had the better chances in the game, so we deserved the touch of fortune.”

“Take nothing away from Partick Thistle, but you won’t see a worse goal than that in Scotland this weekend,” said Inverness manager John Hughes.

“It came from a throw-in which we didn’t defend, then a cross which we didn’t stop coming in and which our goalkeeper didn’t save.

“That’s not the first time we’ve lost to a late goal like that. We need to be able to close games out and if that means settling for a point at Firhill then so be it.”