Arbroath 0-1 Partick Thistle: Hosts fall nine points behind at bottom after Aidan Fitzpatrick strike
- Published
Aidan Fitzpatrick's 10th goal of the season was enough for the visitors
Partick Thistle consolidated third place in the Scottish Championship thanks to Aidan Fitzpatrick's goal against bottom side Arbroath.
The winger drilled the ball low into the net from just inside the box after 15 minutes to set up a deserved win.
Kerr McInroy and Scott Robinson both had the ball in the Arbroath only to have efforts ruled out.
But one goal was enough as Arbroath fall nine points behind Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
As the Highlanders were drawing with leaders Dundee United at Tannadice, Arbroath were left with a record of one victory in their latest 14 games.
Thistle's second victory in 10 - and third in a row over their hosts, lifts the Glasgow side seven clear of Airdrieonians, who have two games in hand, and they remain unbeaten in five visits to Gayfield Park.
Arbroath manager Jim McIntyre: "The boys battled away, they gave it everything but ultimately our final third actions weren't good enough. We need to win the next game and we probably need to win probably the next two or three games to have a chance and that is just the stark reality of how many games are left and what the points tally is. It is going to be a tall order but we will not stop trying, we will keep fighting."
Partick Thistle manager Kris Doolan: "I'm delighted because I don't think you will get any easy games, but coming away to Arbroath is notoriously difficult. We have one, two chopped off, we have one off the post, I am not sure if it goes in or not, but we created a lot of chances. You don't always have to score a perfect goal, you just have to, as Aidan Fitzpatrick showed, just shift it to the side and you will get a glimpse of goal and you take it."