Kanayo Megwa races down the right-hand side and nudges it out to the overlapping Scott Martin, but his fizzed cross is thumped clear.

The hosts recycle the ball well but Livingston are awarded a foul for a high boot from Brian Graham.

A peep from referee Ryan Lee's whistle and we are under way.

Amy Canavan
BBC Scotland at Firhill

World Gaelic week, so naturally, the players will be piped on tonight.

Obviously.

Thistle come into this one on a pretty bleak run.

They've only won once since late December and are just about hanging onto their playoff spot, with Raith Rovers just four points back and with a game in hand.

A new management team are now in situ, can they give them the necessary bounce?

For Livi, it's all about the title race.

They won't tell you that, they'll say it's one game at a time. This isn't untrue, but there's only one prize in their eyes right now - automatic promotion and a new trophy for the cabinet.

They're one point behind current league leaders Falkirk but have played a game more than John McGlynn's side.

They've still to play each other a final time in the league too.

Jonathan Sutherland
BBC Sport Scotland

Thistle are aiming for revenge after losing away at Livingston 2-0, also in front of the Sportscene cameras, back in December but Graham anticipates a tough match against the side sitting second in the Championship.

"A lot of people have them as this big, strong, physical side but they are a side that can also play," he explained. "They have great balance in their team.

"But us as the home team, we are going out to get three points. We want to finish in those play-off places."

The hosts will be bolstered by the signing of free agent - and former Livingston player - Sean Kelly.

Livingston have a full squad to choose from as manager David Martindale targets the victory required to take his team to the summit.

"It gives the boys a chance to jump to the top, albeit Ayr and Falkirk have got games in hand," he said.

"I think we have got one of the best squads in terms of numbers and the quality within those numbers. I just feel we have a really strong 18.

"I've been pretty vocal about that all season so I really need to use the squad as much as possible and pick players who I think are going to have an impact."

Amy Canavan
BBC Scotland at Firhill

Tell you what, the Firhill pitch wasn’t in great nick when we arrived.

Now the players have warmed-up on it, it’s churning up already.

Not ideal…

Jonathan Sutherland
BBC Sport Scotland

Brian Graham says he will only make a decision on his playing career if he is offered the job of Partick Thistle manager on a full-time basis.

The 37-year-old club captain has been in interim charge since the sacking of Kris Doolan.

"I would need to cross that bridge when I got to it," he said when asked about the possibility of hanging up his boots to focus on coaching.

"If I was given the job, then that would be a decision I would make then. But when you still don't know and you're in the dark you just need to continue to play."

The veteran striker, who is being assisted by under-18s coach Mark Wilson, is not new to coaching, having been in charge of Thistle's women for more than four years, a job he is juggling with his new responsibilities.

And his first experience with the men did not put him off his game as he notched his 16th goal of the season in a draw with Airdrieonians last weekend.

LIvingston's Danny Wilson tells BBC Scotland: "I've been fortunate the last few weeks to get some goals.

"I won't mind too much tonight who scores as long as we get three points.

"We've got abig squad here and we've tried to use that in the past couple of games, there's a short turnaround between games but we can't use that as an excuse, we knew it was going to be a hectic schedule coming into this run of games.

"We've got ambitions for the rest of the season but we can only take it one game at a time."

Image source, SNS

Mark Wilson, who manages the Partick Thistle under-18 side and is now helping out with the first-time alongside Brian Graham, tells BBC Scotland it's been a whirlwind week or so, on and off the park.

"It is a hectic time. It's moved pretty quickly," he said.

"Everybody was sorry to see Kris [Doolan] and Paul lose their jobs.

"Brian and I were asked to step in... it was nice to have another few days [this week] to work with the players and put some ideas into their head for tonight and hopefully we get a good performance.

"You can't turn the tide straightaway.

"It's been an interesting time, to say the least!"

Partick Thistle: Budinauckas, Reid, Martin, Bannigan, Graham, Chalmers, Crawford, McBeth, O'Reilly, Ashcroft, Megwa.

Substitutes: Mitchell, Kelly, Turner, Jakubiak, Ablade, Fitzpatrick, Stanway, MacKenzie, Falconer.

Livingston: Prior, McGowan, Pittman, Yengi, Brandon, May, Nottingham, Muirhead, Tait, Montano, Wilson.

Substitutes: Hamilton, Clarke, McAlear, Kelly, Fraser, Smith, Finlayson, Ubochioma, Shinnie.

Evening all.

Title-chasing Livingston travel to face play-off hopefuls Partick Thistle in our next instalment of Friday night Scottish championship action on BBC Scotland.

Let's not hang about, time for the team news...

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS