Partick Thistle's flawless start to the Scottish Championship season was halted by a late Alfie Bavidge equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday night. Seb Drozd's first-half strike looked set to secure a third straight win before Bavidge's intervention deep into stoppage time.
According to the report from the BBC, the result leaves Kris Doolan's side third in the table with seven points from three games. Their record stands at two wins, one draw, and zero losses, with four goals scored and just one conceded for a healthy +3 goal difference.
How did the match unfold?
Inverness created the first clear opportunity in the sixth minute. A corner found Remi Savage, whose header was well saved by Partick goalkeeper Liam McFarlane. The Jags responded quickly, with Alex Samuel forcing Ross Munro into action three minutes later. Dan O'Reilly then headed wide from the resulting corner.
Alfie Stewart hit the post for the hosts in the 14th minute, a warning sign for the visitors. Partick took the lead four minutes later. A clever assist from Fitzpatrick found Seb Drozd, who finished clinically to put the Glasgow side ahead. The visitors had chances to double their lead before the break. Oisin Smyth fired over after being set up by Drozd, and Munro made another good stop from Drozd just before half-time. Smyth also saw a free-kick saved.
What changes did Partick Thistle make?
Manager Kris Doolan made two alterations from the side that faced Hibernian in the Premier Sports Cup. Alex Samuel returned to the starting lineup, replacing Tony Watt. Ben Stanway made his first start since re-signing for the club, coming in for Robbie Crawford.
A forced change came at half-time when Ben McPherson was substituted due to injury. Ethan Ingram replaced him. Doolan then made a double substitution on the hour mark, bringing on Gary Mackay-Steven and Robbie Crawford for goalscorer Drozd and Stanway. With twenty minutes remaining, Ben Dempsey replaced Ts'oanelo Lets'osa. Tony Watt then came on for Samuel, a change that drew boos from the home support.
How did Inverness fight back?
The home side pressed for an equaliser in the second half. Ryan Duncan found himself through one-on-one with McFarlane in the 67th minute, but the Partick keeper stood firm. McFarlane needed treatment after the save but was able to continue. Former Jag Dan MacKay, who endured an injury-plagued two years at Firhill without a league appearance, entered the fray for Inverness.
The pressure finally told with just a minute of normal time remaining. A precise pass from Paul Allan found Alfie Bavidge, who had been flagged offside earlier in the half, and he made no mistake to level the score. Partick pushed for a dramatic winner, winning a corner through Fitzpatrick, but it came to nothing and the points were shared.
What does this mean for Partick's season?
The draw ends Partick Thistle's 100% record but extends their unbeaten start to the campaign. Sitting third with seven points provides a solid platform. The defensive record of just one goal conceded in three games will please the management. You can track the team's progress and upcoming matches on our standings and fixtures pages. Maintaining this form will be key as they aim for a promotion push, with the next challenge being to bounce back from the disappointment of conceding so late. The squad depth shown through the substitutions will be tested further across a long season, and fans can keep an eye on the full squad list.
