Partick Thistle 1-3 Dunfermline Athletic: Hosts suffer title blow after two goals controversially ruled out
- Published
Partick Thistle 1-3 Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic moved out of the relegation play-off spot with a controversial win that delivered a blow to Partick Thistle's promotion bid.
Brian Graham had already had a goal disallowed before heading the hosts ahead, but Malachi Fagan-Walcott slotted the equaliser before the break.
Matty Todd broke clear to chip the Pars ahead, while Graham thought he had equalised only to be ruled off again.
And substitute Xavier Benjamin rose to head the visitors' third.
Dunfermline were fortunate to equalise on the balance of play, but defender Fagan-Walcott's second goal in two games turned the tide of the game in their favour and James McPake's side move above Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Queen's Park.
Meanwhile, Thistle will feel aggrieved after BBC television replays suggested both disallowed goals were onside as Kris Doolan's side are left nine points adrift of Raith Rovers in third after losing their first league game in seven outings.
Partick Thistle manager Kris Doolan: "We don't want to hide behind decisions, and they were very bad, and the game swings on decisions at times. If we get the first one, you are 2-0 up essentially.
"But we don't want to say that is the only reason. We defended poorly and we got caught losing our shape at times by being dragged out of position and at times we passed the ball back and invited pressure. Off of back of bad decisions, the momentum swings and we started to make mistakes and in the second half we were far from our best."
Dunfermline Athletic manager James McPake: "For the group, for what it means, it's huge. For that young group, there's some experience in it, but it's likely the worst run they've been on.
"There's been good performances in that run. We were decent enough last week without winning the game, but the longer it goes on, it feels like you're bluffing them when you tell them they had a good game. I'm proud of them and delighted for them."