PARS 1 Partick Thistle 0

AIDAN Connolly's first Pars goal sent the home support away happy as they recorded their first home win of the season.

It was a match of very little quality but Allan Johnston and his players won't care as the midfielder pounced on a loose ball into the box midway through the second half to secure the three points.

Johnston retained faith in the same starting XI which was unlucky not to grab a win against Morton at Cappielow last time out.

His opposite number Alan Archibald was hoping his side could claim their first points on the road in the Championship after three defeats away from Firhill.

The first-half came and went with sideways and misplaced passes common, and chances were at a premium as both sides struggled to create anything of note.

Blair Spittal tried to spark the game into life on 38 minutes as he nearly capitalised on a poor pass from Lee Ashcroft, which let the midfielder move into the box.

Spittal found the net twice in Thistle's victory over Queen of the South during the previous round of fixtures and the week before against Inverness, and he was unlucky not to make it four goals in three games from a tight angle. His drive was struck well but flashed past the post.

That was the first real talking point of the match and it was Spittal who was once again the man to cause problems as a two-on-two counter attack resulted in Kris Doolan firing at Robinson inside the box after the restart.

Morton were gifted an equaliser against the Pars last week, but it was the East End Park hosts who were presented with an easy opener.

A cross from Louis Longridge ricocheted off the heel of Christie Elliot and the ball fell invitingly for Aidan Connolly to tap home the loose ball into an empty net from 10 yards with stopper Cammy Bell out of position as a result of the deflection on 69 minutes.

Andy Ryan had his hands on his head on 79 minutes as his free header from a corner went narrowly wide.

It was a great chance for Ryan to score for the second match in a row, but it was wasted and the striker was withdrawn moments later as Joe Thomson was introduced to load the midfield.

Connolly spurned a glorious chance to put the game to bed as a fizzed delivery across the goal-line by Jackson Longridge found the midfielder free from defenders four yards out.

With the keeper stranded and the goal gaping, he side-footed the ball with his righ foot off the post with the ground left in disbelief as to how it didn't smack the back of the net.

Lee Robinson stood tall to deny Thistle substitue Andréa Mbuyi-Mutombo at the death from three yards out before Mark Durnan denied Mutombo again as the defender blocked his strike from crossing the line for what would have been an undeserved equaliser.

It was a late scare but the Pars held out to record their first home win of the season after an improved second-half display.

PARS: Robinson, Craigen, Ashcroft, Durnan, J.Longridge, L.Longridge, M.Martin, Vincent, Connolly (Hippolyte 90), Ryan (Thomson 79), El Bakhtaoui.

Subs not used: Gill, Devine, Williamson, Beadling, Muirhead.

Goal: Connolly (69)

Partick Thistle: Bell, Elliot, Keown, Scobbie (Erskine 72), McGinty, Penrice, Bannigan, Slater, Spittal (Mutombo 78), Storey, Doolan (Quitongo 66).

Subs not used: Sneddon, Melbourne, Fitzpatrick, Ntambwe.

Booked: Bannigan (41), Keown (44)

Referee: Kevin Clancy Attendance: 4,740