Partick Thistle 4, Airdrie 0: Thistle thump play-off rivals Airdrie

Airdrie sealed their Premiership play-off slot even while falling to a heavy defeat against step-up rivals Partick Thistle at Firhill.

A Brian Graham double and strikes from Aidan Fitzpatrick and Ricco Diack saw Jags through comfortably enough in a dominant second half, following a first half where the sides couldn't be separated.

A first defeat in five for the Diamonds, however, means they're seven clear of fifth-placed Morton and eight ahead of Dunfermline, with two games left, but three behind their hosts.

Aidan Fitzpatrick's 52nd-minute opener was added to on the hour-mark by Brian Graham, and he notched his second of the game in 68 minutes.

Sub Diack slotted the ball into the back of the net late on to make absolutely sure of the three points.

The goal-less first half was really even, with neither side particularly getting an upper hand.

Airdrie's Lewis McGregor had their best chance and the whole of Firhill held its breath until David Mitchell made a telling block.

At the other end Jack McMillan's roving run ended with a cutback that evaded a couple of Thistle players in the middle, with just Robbie Hemfrey to beat in the Airdrie goal.

Thistle came out for the second half with their tails up and took the lead through Fitzpatrick inside seven minutes, and simply never looked back.

Thistle manager Kris Doolan made one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Raith Rovers last weekend, as Scott Robinson came in for Zander Mackenzie.

Airdrie player-boss Rhys McCabe made two changes to the side that beat Dunfermline 2-1 last time out. Arron Lyall and Lewis McGregor came in for Cammy Ballantyne and Adam Frizell.

Thistle threatened first in 13 minutes when Harry Milne got a sight of goal and let fly with a rocket from just inside the box, but Hemfrey parried and the ball was hacked clear for a corner.

Aaron Lyall let fly with a shot for distance for Airdrie, from the right touchline, but it fizzed past the far post corner in 15 minutes.

Kerr McInroy's corner from the right was headed over by Milne in 23 minutes.

McGregor was sent through on goal in 33 minutes, but David Mitchell got down low to block well.

Lyall's corner from the right was headed by Kanayo Megwa on to Todorov, but the Thistle keeper again gathered.

Brian Graham glance headed a Fitzpatrick cross just over in 39 minutes.

In 40 minutes Jack McMillan galloped forward but his cut-back evaded a glut of players just yards out, which included Graham.

Two minutes later, good Airdrie move ended with Charlie Telfer's shot on the turn being saved at the bottom right corner.

Mason Hancock's cross caused problems for the Thistle defence in 44 minutes, and it was cleared only as far as McMaster, who let fly with a drive that Mitchell did well to hold.

But Thistle took the lead in 52 minutes when McInroy's pass with the outside of his boot sliced open the Airdrie defence and Fitzpatrick rounded Hemfrey to score.

Thistle should have doubled that lead in 56 minutes when Ben Stanway was shown a sight of goal on the left, but dragged his shot past the right post.

Milne had a run and shot that was well saved by Hemfrey in 59 minutes.

But a minute later Fitzpatrick's shot was spilled by Hemfrey and Graham was on it quickly to smash high into the net.

Graham bagged his second of the game in 68 minutes with a curler into the top right corner.

Sub Ricco Diack added further shine to the win by slamming the ball into the bottom left corner in 85 minutes.

PARTICK: Mitchell, McMillan (Mackenzie, 69), McBeth, Muirhead, Milne, Neilson, McInroy (O'Reilly, 69), Stanway (Bannigan, 73), Robinson (Alston, 79), Fitzpatrick (Diack, 79), Graham

Subs (not used): Stewart (GK), Ngwenya, Campbell, Horn

AIRDRIE: Hemfrey, Megwa, Watson, Fordyce, Hancock, McMaster, McGill, Lyall (Donnell, 75), Telfer, McGregor (O'Connor, 70), Todorov (G. Gallagher, 70)

Subs (not used): Hutton (GK), Taylor-Sinclair, C. Gallagher, Dunlop, Rowley, Spalding

Referee: Iain Snedden

Attendance: 3972

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