Partick 1-1 Dundee: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.Balatoni blow for Thistle Partick were denied the chance to record consecutive victories for the first time this season by a cruel own-goal in stoppage time against Dundee at Firhill.James Craigen scored the opening goal for the home side just before the hour, finishing Ryan Stevenson's driven cross from close range.Just when it looked as though the points would stay in Maryhill, a cross by substitute Phil Roberts was deflected into his own net by the luckless Conrad Balatoni to earn the visitors a 1-1 draw and bring an end to a run of three straight league defeats.The game was slow to get going but last week's two-goal Partick hero Stevenson brought it to life in the 10th minute, side-stepping two challenges before firing just over the Dundee goal from the edge of the area.The visitors were then presented with a glorious chance to open the scoring when a move between David Clarkson and Jim McAlister broke down - only for the ball to ricochet off a Partick defender and land at the feet of Greg Stewart inside the Thistle box.With time to pick his spot the forward lost his composure and blasted wildly over the bar when he really should have at least forced a save from Paul Gallacher.A high foot by Willie Dyer on Christie Elliot then allowed Stuart Bannigan the chance to whip in a wonderful inswinging dead ball delivery from the right that just evaded the desperate lunges of the home players when any touch would have surely seen the net bulge.A moment of indecision then almost cost Thistle dear, as Kallum Higginbotham attempted to control a clearance on his chest 30 yards from his own goal, allowing Gary Irvine to steal in and thunder a low shot just past Gallacher's right-hand post.A spot of head tennis in midfield was brought to an end as a clever Stevenson header found Higginbotham, who released Craigen with a delightful first-time passHowever, the midfielder's curling effort as he raced through was too close to Kyle Letheren, who saved easily.Irvine had the last good chance of the half for Dundee, getting on the end of Stewart's inswinging corner but heading tamely wide when he had more time than he perhaps thought.The second half started at a frenetic pace, and a good spell of pressure by Dundee was ended by a McGinn drive over the bar from the edge of the box as Thistle struggled to get out of their area for the first time in the match.When they did break up the other end though, they opened the scoring after 58 minutes
Stevenson found space on the left wing and his lovely driven ball into the six-yard box was slammed home emphatically by the onrushing Craigen for his second goal of the season.The goal saw Thistle start to exercise an element of control over proceedings again, and Gary Fraser went close with a half-volley that had Letheren scrambling across his goal before it whistled past the post.Craigen should then have doubled his and Partick's goal tally when Elliot won possession deep in his own half from Clarkson
Stevenson raced up the other end before feeding Higginbotham, who teed up Craigen perfectly in a central position - but he leant back on this occasion and scooped the ball high over the bar.He was almost made to pay for that miss as a looping Stewart ball into the home box caused confusion before eventually being flicked behind by Danny Seaborne - and James McPake met the resultant corner with a thumping header which, luckily for Partick, was straight at Gallacher.Dundee kept on plugging away though, and just when it looked as though all hope was lost, a massive slice of luck handed them an unlikely leveller.Roberts drove at the Partick backline and hit a low cross across the area that Balatoni lunged to cut out - but the Thistle defender could only watch on in agony as the ball struck his leg and beat Gallacher to deny Alan Archibald's men victory
Source : PA
Source: PA