The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Crawford dejected as Pars left stung by late Jags equaliser
Dunfermline missed the chance to move within a point of the play-off places as a last-ditch Brian Graham goal gave Thistle a deserved share of the spoils at Firhill last night.
It looked as if the Pars might pull off an unlikely win when a Euan Murray strike put them ahead midway through the second half after Owain Fon Williams had saved a penalty before the break.
But Graham’s header in the fourth minute of stoppage time left the Fifers three points adrift of fourth-placed Ayr United, who have a game in hand.
East End Park boss Stevie Crawford said: “I’m disappointed to lose a goal so late in the game but we were fortunate to be level at half-time. Fair play to Partick, they caused us problems but it wasn’t through the want of trying.
“We spoke about changing the formation during the first-half but we felt it was too many changes so waited till the break. Credit to the boys for scrapping and staying in the game because we were very fortunate to still be in the game.”
Pars were on the back foot early as Thistle’s Shea Gordon drove in from the right flank before teeing up Stuart Bannigan who blazed wildly over the bar from the edge of the area on eight minutes.
The hosts continued to press for the opener and Graham’s acrobatic effort forced Fon Williams into tipping over his bar seven minutes later.
Thistle were rewarded for their constant pressure when referee Steven Kirkland correctly awarded them a penalty for Jonathon Afolabi’s clumsy challenge on James Penrice.
Bannigan, who scored from the spot against Dundee United on Saturday, stepped up confidently but Fon Williams made an excellent stop down to his left.
Dunfermline struggled to get out their own half as Thistle continued to dominate proceedings. Tam O’Ware’s hopeful long ball sent Zak Rudden clear on goal but his lobbed effort over the onrushing Fon Williams sailed over the bar.
Dunfermline’s first opportunity arose on 32 minutes. Dom Thomas released Kyle Turner with an excellent reverse pass and his cross found Gabriel McGill but his shot was deflected for a corner.
Rudden went close again on the stroke of half-time when his lobbed effort sailed over Fon Williams head but agonisingly clipped the top of the bar.
Dunfermline made two changes at the interval with Ethan Ross and McGill replaced by Josh Edwards and Tom Beadling but Thistle continued to look the more likely, Reece Cole twice going close from distance while Dom Thomas fired narrowly wide at the other end as the East End Park side rallied.
Cole and Rudden had further efforts blocked as Dunfermline dug-in impressively at the back before breaking forward to take the lead against the run of play.
Thomas was the provider with a pinpoint cross which Euan Murray met with a firm strike that rose high into the top left-hand corner of Scott Fox’s net.
The goal gave Dunfermline much-needed confidence to repel an increasingly desperate Jags side, who were largely restricted to efforts from distance until Cole’s injury-time cross found Graham to power a header home.