Dunfermline: Aidan Fitzpatrick scores Partick Thistle winner

AIDAN FITZPATRICK struck in the final minute for Partick Thistle and inflict a cruel defeat on Dunfermline at Firhill this afternoon.

The Jags wide man rifled the ball beyond Deniz Mehmet from inside the penalty area to snatch three points for the hosts, when it looked as though the spoils would be shared.

In a scrappy, bitty encounter, James McPake's side grew into it after a strong opening 20-25 minutes from the hosts, and there had been little to choose between the sides after the break.

However, Fitzpatrick's intervention saw Athletic's mini revival, which saw them draw with Ayr United, and defeat Raith Rovers, and East Fife in the SPFL Trust Trophy, in their last three outings, come to an end.

To make matters worse, the visitors lost both David Wotherspoon and Tommy Fogarty to injury in the first half, but were boosted by a return for Matty Todd, and a debut for new signing, Craig Clay.

"To lose a goal so late on, and I've not seen the goal back, but it didn't look that they had to do an awful lot to score it, so to get to that point in the game, and come away with nothing, is disappointing," McPake said.

"In terms of the way they worked, and the effort, application, that was ok. In fact, it was better than ok. The lads gave absolutely everything. I don't think we were anywhere near, or good enough, on the ball, which is disappointing.

"We didn't take a rest on the ball, we didn't keep the ball long enough, and, if you get out there with a point, I think that would've even maybe been an underdeserving point on the basis of the footballing performance.

"But, with the hard work they put in, it's a sore one, so late on."

The visitors were forced into one enforced change from last Friday night's Fife derby win.

Goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi, who was named amongst the substitutes, missed out with a "small niggle", and was replaced by Mehmet.

Clay, who signed a one-year deal with the club yesterday following a successful trial period, was amongst the substitutes, as was Todd, who had not featured since fracturing his collarbone during pre-season.

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If Dunfermline were hoping to continue to show the intensity that they did against the Rovers, they weren't allowed to early on by the hosts, who made a fast start.

Former Kelty Hearts loanee Kanayo Megwa, making his debut after joining the Jags on loan, was, alongside Aidan Fitzpatrick, a bright spark in the home ranks.

Within three minutes, the full back's dangerous centre needed to be cleared behind by Tommy Fogarty, whilst Fitzpatrick was on the end of fouls by both Aaron Comrie and Chris Hamilton in the opening exchanges.

Dan O'Reilly headed wide from a corner taken by ex-Par, Kyle Turner, before Fogarty was carded, after a period of treatment, for coliding with Harry Milne, as the Partick man looked to break forward.

Temperatures were rising as Hamilton was next in the book for a challenge on Terry Ablade - moments after the visitors thought they should've been awarded a free-kick for a push on David Wotherspoon - but they lost the latter to injury moments later.

The former St Johnstone star and Canada international was substituted after appearing to go down off the ball, to be replaced by comeback man Todd, in the first of two enforced first half changes for the Pars.

It took 33 minutes for the away side to register their first corner, from which Sam Young headed a difficult half chance over from 12 yards, whilst Luke McBeth headed a clearer opportunity off-target from the hosts from another Turner set piece.

Dunfermline, after a tough opening 20-25 minutes, worked their way back into proceedings and, five minutes from the break, fashioned their best attempt of the opening period.

Good combination play between Kieran Ngwenya and Ewan Otoo saw them work the ball to Kane Ritchie-Hosler who, cutting in from the left, fired an effort wide of the near post.

Then, minutes before the break, Fogarty was next to go off, with the on-loan Birmingham City man replaced by Sam Fisher.

Kris Doolan's men were on the offensive immediately after the restart, with Comrie blocking from Fitzpatrick, and Ablade nodding over, before Clay was introduced by the Pars for his debut, in place of Lewis McCann, shortly before the hour mark.

The home fans continued to vent their frustrations at referee Euan Anderson, as Turner became their first man in the book, before Dunfermline almost snatched the lead.

Ngwenya sent a fine delivery to the far post from the left, where Fisher was waiting, and he was unlucky to watch his header back across goal edge just wide of target.

Todd was next to have a go, lashing over from distance, but Thistle came even closer to breaking the deadlock as the clock ticked into the final 20 minutes.

After Young had been penalised for a foul, and having picked up a booking, Muirhead rose highest and headed off the bar from Fitzpatrick's delivery.

Ritchie-Hosler then forced Thistle keeper, Myles Roberts into action, with a comfortable save from his 20-yard effort, before he and Chris Kane made way for Josh Cooper and Craig Wighton.

The substitutes almost immediately combined, with good defending from a home man blocking the latter, before Dan O'Reilly headed over the Pars bar from a free-kick conceded by Ngwenya, who became the fourth away man in the referee's book.

However, in the final minute, just as the game looked set to end scoreless, Fitzpatrick won it for Thistle, when he took advantage of a break forward to fire home.

Partick Thistle: Roberts, Milne, Muirhead (Ashcroft 78), Turner (Stanway 67), Graham, Crawford, Ablade (Chalmers 74), McBeth, O'Reilly, Fitzpatrick, Megwa.

Subs not used: Nilsson, Smith, Sayers, Lyon, Diack, McCready.

Goal: Fitzpatrick (89).

Booked: Turner (61), Muirhead (74).

Pars: Mehmet, Comrie, Fogarty (Fisher 43), Young, Ngwenya, Hamilton, Otoo, Wotherspoon (Todd (24), Ritchie-Hosler (Cooper 77), McCann (Clay 57), Kane (Wighton 77).

Subs not used: Chalmers, Sutherland, Oluwayemi, Briggs.

Booked: Fogarty (16), Hamilton (22), Young (70), Ngwenya (84).

Referee: Euan Anderson.

Attendance: 4,301 (713 away).