Rudden double puts Thistle within four points of the top
Zak Rudden’s second-half double helped strengthen Partick Thistle’s play-off position as they beat Clyde 2-0 at Firhill.
Thistle’s best chance of the first half came when Ciaran Mckenna made room for himself and picked out Brian Graham, however the striker was headed wide of the post.
Graham went close again just seconds later when Scott Tiffoney sent him through on goal, but his low shot was easily held by Clyde stopper David Mitchell.
Rudden got the opening goal of the game on 66 minutes when he threw himself at Tiffoney’s deep cross to chest the ball over the line.
The Bully Wee went close to an instant equaliser with Josh Jack forcing Jamie Sneddon into a diving save from his powerful free kick, with Sneddon also saving Martin Mcniff ’s header from the resulting corner.
As third-bottom Clyde searched for an equaliser, the Jags hit them on the break in injury time with Rudden grabbing his second to put Ian Mccall’s men within four points of the top in third place.
Airdrie moved themselves up into fourth and a promotion play-off spot by beating visiting bottom of the league Forfar Athletic 3-1.
The Diamonds got off to a flying start as they took the lead inside the opening two minutes with Calum Gallagher breaking forward and crossing into the area where Loons defender Hamish Thomson was only able to head the ball into his own net.
The home side took control and nearly doubled their lead when captain Sean Crighton saw his header crash off the crossbar. Forfar, however, levelled three minutes before half time when Grant Anderson nodded in from point-blank range after a sweeping move down the right.
Airdrie squandered a glorious opportunity to retake the lead just before the hour mark when Gallagher’s tame effort was collected by Forfar keeper Marc Mccallum with the goal gaping however the hosts’ pressure paid off with seven minutes remaining as Gallagher headed in Leon Mccann’s cross. Kyle Connell made sure all three points stayed in Lanarkshire as he netted deep in stoppage time to stretch Airdrie’s unbeaten run to four games.