Partick Thistle 3 - 0 Dumbarton: Lawless shoots double

A DOUBLE from Stevie Lawless and one from Kris Doolan saw Thistle maintain the pressure on leaders Morton.

Scorers: Partick Thistle: Lawless 10, 74; Doolan 83

They took a while to kill off a determined Dumbarton side, but ultimately deserved to extend caretaker manager Alan Archibald’s unbeaten run to five games.

Archibald, though, remains in the dark about his long-term future despite calls from fans and players to give him the job permanently. “It’s nice to hear people behind you, but that because we have been winning,” said Archibald, pictured below.

“I haven’t heard anything from the board, but all we can do is keep winning. Things have been going really well and that was our fourth clean sheet in a row which is really pleasing.”

That clean sheet was under threat early on when Garry Fleming seized on a poor pass from Stephen O’Donnell and made a beeline for the Jags box. The Sons’ striker held off Stuart Bannigan’s challenge and was unlucky to see 
his 18-yard shot turned on to a post and behind by Scott Fox.

Thistle responded through Sean Welsh’s skidding 25-yard shot which rebounded from Stephen Grindlay’s legs.

However, the Dumbarton keeper was beaten moments later when O’Donnell’s deep cross was nodded down by Steven Craig to Lawless who volleyed into the corner of the next from ten yards.

Thistle’s fans had a long wait for the second goal, but it was worth it when it came, Lawless sending a left foot shot soaring in off the underside of the bar in 74 minutes. The points were safe when substitute Doolan scored from close range.