PARS 4 Partick Thistle 1

ATHLETIC have secured a hugely significant win in their battle to avoid relegation by thrashing Partick Thistle at East End this evening to move off the bottom of the Championship.

John Hughes' side fought back from Ross Docherty's early opener to lead 3-1 at the break thanks to Lewis Mayo's own goal, Matty Todd's header and Josh Edwards.

Dom Thomas lashed in a fourth goal late on to secure a well deserved win for the hosts, who leapt above Queen of the South into ninth place, and moved to within three points of Ayr United in eighth.

They now move on to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and will take a huge amount of confidence to the Highlands.

The Pars made one change to the team that started Friday night's draw with Morton, and it was the expected alteration between the sticks.

With Jakub Stolarczyk on international duty with Poland's under-21s, Deniz Mehmet came in for his first game since a 3-0 home loss to Arbroath in late August, while Friday's goalscorer, Lewis McCann, missed out through injury.

Thistle boss, Ian McCall, named former Pars stars Kyle Turner and Steven Bell on the substitutes bench as he made two changes from the team thrashed 4-0 at home by Hamilton Accies on Saturday.

Richard Foster and Scott Tiffoney came into the side in place of Olatunji Akinola and Turner, and despite a promising start from the hosts, it was they who struck first.

Skipper Docherty was the man who netted, sending a fine shot from around 20 yards beyond the helpless Mehmet after a cross from the right hand side was cleared out of the Pars box.

That goal deflated the crowd but, within six minutes, they were on their feet cheering an equaliser.

Todd, who had a fine first half, received the ball wide on the right and sent in a dangerous cross in which former Athletic loanee Mayo tried to clear, but didn't connect properly and sliced the ball over Jamie Sneddon and into the net.

It was exactly the response that Hughes would have been looking for and, from then on, Dunfermline played some fine stuff throughout the opening period.

Kevin O'Hara was unfortunate to fire wide from a tight angle from a fine Steven Lawless pass, before the hosts did take the lead midway through the opening period.

Dom Thomas was the architect, sending over a delicious cross that allowed Todd to take advantage of some non existent Partick defending to head home his second goal for the club from eight yards.

Then, just five minutes later, Dunfermline added a third.

Thomas again was at the heart of it, picking the ball up on the left and sliding a pass into Edwards, who fired home a fine finish to net his first-ever goal for the Pars.

It was a terrific response, and no more than Athletic deserved, and it would've been four had it not been for a sensational Sneddon save to deny Lawless after good work from O'Hara to pick him out.

Mehmet did well to save from Docherty at the near post as Thistle tried to muster a response, but it was again the Pars who almost added to their lead, with Thomas having an effort deflected wide, and Liam Polworth shooting off-target.

Thistle made two half-time switches, bringing on Stephen Hendrie and Connor Murray for Ciaran McKenna and Juan Alegria, but Thomas was soon back on the attack, sending a deflected shot wide.

Scott Tiffoney did have an effort saved by Mehmet, while Hendrie fired one wide, but the Pars remained firmly in control of proceedings.

But, with eight minutes to go, Dunfermline wrapped it up in style.

Tremendous ball winning by Dan Pybus at the edge of his own box saw him send a fine ball forward for Thomas, who raced forward down the left.

Although he had O'Hara in support, he lashed the ball beyond Sneddon at his near post, sending East End wild with delight.

Substitute Nikolay Todorov almost added a fifth in stoppage time, hitting the side net after rounding the keeper, but the Pars had done enough to secure a huge victory.

Match stats

Pars: Mehmet, Todd (Comrie 89), Donaldson (Breen 89), Ambrose, Edwards, Thomas (Dow 85), Pybus, Chalmers, Lawless, Polworth (Todorov 85), O'Hara (Allan 86).

Subs not used: Martin, Cole, Jones, Alexander.

Goals: Mayo (10, OG), Todd (22), Edwards (27), Thomas (82).

Booked: O'Hara (59).

Partick Thistle: Sneddon, Foster (Akinola 65), McKenna (Hendrie 45), Mayo, Holt, Tiffoney (Bell 72), Docherty, Bannigan, Crawford, Smith (Turner 59), Alegria (Murray 45).

Subs not used: Firth, Stanway.

Goal: Docherty (5).

Booked: Holt (53), Foster (63).

Referee: Steven McLean.

Attendance: 3,380.