So close: Watt strikes but Tod's stunner stops Thistle going top, and now leaders Stenny come to Firhill
Thursday 22 October 2026 · By Ellie Burns
For 28 minutes on Tuesday night, Partick Thistle were heading for the top of the Championship. Tony Watt had given them an early lead at East End Park, but Andrew Tod's long-range strike earned Dunfermline a 1–1 draw, and Thistle stayed second.
Still, there's no time to dwell on it. Leaders Stenhousemuir visit Firhill on Saturday (15:00), and this time a win would definitely put Mark Wilson's side top.
The game in Fife started perfectly. Watt pounced on a misplaced pass from Dylan Lobban and scored in the 13th minute, according to the SPFL. Thistle looked comfortable until four minutes before half-time, when Olamilekan Adams fed Tod, who found the top corner from outside the box.
Both goalkeepers had work to do after that. Lewis Budinauckas saved from Adams, while at the other end Dunfermline keeper Oxborough kept out Watt and substitute Alex Samuel. Neither side could find a winner.
Wilson made two changes from the team that won at Ayr, with Aidan Fitzpatrick and Gary Mackay-Steven coming in for Euan Henderson and Seb Drozd.
The club has published Wilson's reaction on its JagZone channel. Fan-media summaries suggest he was pleased with the point, but we haven't been able to check his exact words, so we won't quote him here. What's clear is that Thistle have taken seven points from three tough away trips, winning at Livingston and Ayr before Tuesday's draw.
As the SPFL put it: "The result moves Thistle to within a point of leaders Stenhousemuir." Thistle have 22 points from 11 games, and Stenny have 23 from ten.
Thistle's defence has been the foundation of their season. They've conceded just four league goals in 11 games, the best record in the division, and they're unbeaten in five league matches.
That makes Saturday's game even more intriguing. Stenhousemuir are the only side to have beaten Thistle in the league this season, winning 1–0 at Ochilview on 15 September thanks to a late header from substitute Hamzad Kargbo.
The equation is simple. A Thistle win would take them top, two points clear of Stenny, although Bartley's side would still have a game in hand. A draw would keep Stenny top, and it could open the door for third-placed Raith, who host Inverness on the same afternoon. If Raith win and Firhill ends level, Raith would go top on goal difference.
Tickets are on sale now, priced £24 for adults, £18 for concessions, £12 for under-18s, £10 for under-16s and £6 for under-12s. Home supporters without bank cards or online access can buy tickets with cash at the Jackie Husband ticket office from 1:30pm on matchday.
After Saturday, Thistle host Greenock Morton on Saturday 31 October.
Watt's goal on Tuesday was a reminder of what he can bring, and Thistle will need that kind of cutting edge against a Stenny side that has been hard to break down. With the meanest defence in the league and a home crowd behind them, Thistle have every chance of finishing the weekend on top.
Firhill sits on a tight wedge of land in Maryhill, between Firhill Road and the Forth and Clyde Canal. Partick Thistle have played here since 1909. The sponsored name is currently the WrightKerr Stadium at Firhill, but supporters still call it Firhill. It is one of the more old-fashioned grounds in the Championship: three stands, an open end, the canal on the east and tenements on the west. The pitch runs north to south, about 105 by 69 metres, with the goals at the ends rather than in front of the side stands.
Where you sit depends on numbers. Home fans use the Jackie Husband Stand, the cantilever stand on the canal side, and the John Lambie Stand behind the north goal. A larger away support is usually put in the Colin Weir Stand, the 1927 main stand on Firhill Road. It still has roof pillars, so a seat behind a column can hide a corner. A smaller following, often under about 500, may instead get the north end of the Jackie Husband Stand, the darker block at the John Lambie end of the red stand. Check your ticket. The allocation moves from game to game.
The north goal is directly in front of the John Lambie Stand, built in 2002, widened in 2003, and holding a little over 2,000. It is the home singing section. The south goal faces the City End, an open grass bank known as The Bing. There is no stand there, and spectators are not admitted. From Colin Weir you look across to the Jackie Husband Stand, opened in 1994 and named after the former Thistle player. It holds most of the home support, about 6,300 seats, and has no pillars. Capacity is a little over 10,000, all seated.
The simplest way in is the Glasgow Subway. From St George’s Cross, walk north up Maryhill Road and into Firhill Road, about ten to fifteen minutes, uphill in places. Kelvinbridge works if you have been in the west end. Maryhill station is nearer on a map, but the walk is longer, so the subway is the better bet. Buses along Maryhill Road also pass close by. Street parking exists if you arrive early, but there is no large visitor car park. Supporters’ buses are sometimes sent to Panmure Street, so read the travel note for your fixture.
Away tickets are sold through the club’s Fanbase page or app. Buy before you reach a turnstile. For a standard Championship fixture the club lists adults at £24, concessions at £18, under-18s at £12, under-16s at £10 and under-12s at £6. Concessions cover over-65s, students, and ambulant and wheelchair supporters, including a carer. Cup ties can differ, so confirm the figure on the fixture page. The matchday ticket office is on the Jackie Husband side. Colin Weir turnstiles are on Firhill Road. A Jackie Husband ticket means the canal side.
Kiosks sell pies, snacks and hot drinks. In the Colin Weir Stand, the licensed Aitken Suite at the north end is open before kick-off. Disabled supporters can use the red access gate at the north-west corner, where Colin Weir meets John Lambie. The usual wheelchair area is in front of the Colin Weir Stand. Spaces in Jackie Husband are limited, so email [email protected] if you need one reserved. Once you are in, the goals are the compass: John Lambie behind the north goal, the open City End behind the south goal.