Profligate Thistle can't cash in on good fortune

Not for the first time this season, the first division champions were purposeful but impotent, their profligate nature allowing a small glimmer of hope for Hibernian to cling on to. Kris Doolan spurned two glaring chances prior to Liam Craig's spectacular winning effort, an intervention that elevates Hibs to fifth in the table while Thistle continue to languish in eighth. "As a defender I know what missing chances can do: it can give the opposition hope and a lift," said Alan Archibald, the Thistle manager. "The players are down and I can understand that. We have played some good stuff with just a couple of bad performances, so it could be a lot worse. We're just not scoring."

Despite the excitement around the Weirs' involvement at Firhill, there was a sombre backdrop to last night's match. At the weekend, the club had learned of the death of fan Scott Cant, who passed away at the age of just 23. It was an emotional sight as the ground rose to applaud the young man while members of his family watched on from the stands. "It was very sad news," said Archibald. "We knew the fans would have a tribute to him. It was touching."

That the respectful applause from the Hibs support was the loudest noise to emanate from their direction until Craig struck his sixth goal of the season speaks for itself. Fenlon may have addressed his side's poor start to the season, yet many in green and white still flattered to deceive for much of last night's contest. They failed to register one shot on target in the first half as they struggled to cope with the dank conditions. Their passing was wayward, defending suspect and potency at the other end scarce amid a series of heavy touches in the deluge.

Indeed, Hibs rode their luck for much of the match. A rain-soaked finger hovered ominously above the self-destruct bottom from early on, Ryan McGivern failed to anticipate a misjudged pass and sent the ball skidding towards Ben Williams, only for the panicked goalkeeper to pick the ball up as Doolan closed in. The visitors did manage to charge down Sean Welsh's resultant effort, but the fright set an early precedent. Conrad Balatoni, Kallum Higginbotham and Doolan all went close in the first half before the latter spurned a glaring one-on-one chance early in the second half, firing straight at Williams after Aaron Muirhead's long punt forward caught Hibs at sixes and sevens. The former juniors striker again found himself through on goal moments later, but his indecisiveness allowed Hibs to recover and clear.

However, as the downpour relented and the clouds parted deep into the second half, the Thistle's defence did likewise. Abdellah Zoubir had been on the park just eight minutes when he scampered down the right flank, drawing two Thistle defenders out of position and allowing Craig time just inside the area to pick his spot and guide his shot high beyond Scott Fox.

That left Thistle with 20 minutes to make amends. Substitute Christie Elliott drew a magnificent save from Williams, the goalkeeper deflecting away his point-blank shot with five minutes left then throwing himself to his left seconds later turn Ross Forbes' long-range effort round the post in a late and ultimately fruitless flurry.

Given Thistle walked off the pitch with nothing to show for their efforts suggests Hibs perhaps should have skulked down Maryhill Road wearing masks and with a swag bag slung over their shoulders, such was the fortune attached to their fourth win of the campaign. "It was a bit of a smash and grab," admitted Pat Fenlon, the Easter Road manager.

"In the first half, I thought Thistle were excellent and probably had more chances than we did. When we scored we played a bit better. In the first half they had lots of possession, but in the second half they created a few really good chances. Liam scored a great goal with his right foot, we're delighted with the three points."