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Heavy Snowfall during the early hours of Saturday morning saw 11 fixtures across the SPFL succumb to the weather. The Firhill ground staff however, were well prepared, with the under soil heating and tarpaulin covers being used to ensure the in-form Jags would have a game to play.

Partick Thistle, off the back of winning all three of their November fixtures, welcomed Airdieonians to Maryhill. Kris Doolan’s side would set out for revenge against their old foe, having tasted defeat the last time the sides met back in August.

The Jags would have to do so without club captain Brian Graham, as the talismanic striker served a suspension for his off-field antics against Greenock Morton. His natural replacement - Tomi Adeloye - was also absent having rolled his ankle in training during the week. With third-choice striker Anton Dowds out on loan, Kris Doolan was left with no other option, than to turn to 18-year old Thistle Weir academy graduate Ricco Diack, with the task of leading the line on his first senior start.

Diack - son of former lower league journeyman Iain Diack - had only amassed 18 minutes of professional football across his four cameo appearances from the bench prior to being given the nod in the absence of his more senior counterparts.

Nevertheless, the six-foot-three centre forward didn’t let the occasion phase him. Wasting no time getting into the thick of the action, Diack used his bulky frame to his advantage, displaying impressive hold-up play as he dominated the experienced Diamonds' defence. The young striker let the Airdrie rearguard know that they wouldn’t be in for an easy afternoon.

Thistle continued to pile on the early pressure and the breakthrough would come after only seven minutes. Diack demonstrated natural goalscoring instinct to peel off his man at the back post as he met the inswinging delivery from Aidan Fitzpatrick’s corner. Delight for the deputising striker, as he wheeled off towards the John Lambie, stand, beating the club crest upon his chest - a moment he had no doubt dreamt of for many a year.

The chances kept on flowing for the Jags and the second goal of the afternoon would come before half time, though this time in a slightly more fortuitous fashion. Fitzpatrick, fresh from winning the club’s Player of the Month award, continued his sparkling run of form, as he ran his opposite number ragged before firing a cross into the box in search of Diack. The cross grazed off the thigh of Airdrie centre-half Callum Fordyce before inexplicably looping over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net off the woodwork.

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Despite going in at the interval with a two-goal lead, Thistle knew this game was far from over. Rhys McCabe’s men had come from a goal down to win the reverse fixture in North Lanarkshire and the Diamonds would look to produce a similar comeback in hope of leaving snowy Firhill with a positive result.

Airdrieonians would pull a goal back just ten minutes after the restart. A lapse in concentration from the Thistle back-line allowed Calum Gallagher in to nod down for the unmarked Craig Watson, leaving the defender with the simplest of tasks as he fired the ball past Jamie Sneddon from five yards.

Kerr McInroy and Harry Milne were both introduced from the bench in an attempt to shore things up for the Jags in what proved to be a stern defensive showing. The plucky Diamonds would, however, forge one last chance to snatch a point. With 94 minutes on the clock, a bobbling ball into the box was flicked into the path of Nikolay Todorov, only for the Bulgarian striker to skew his shot wide of the target.

A massive weekend for Thistle as they capitalized on the many postponements around the country to create some breathing space from the clubs below them in the table. That’s now six games unbeaten for Kris Doolan’s side who find themselves just six points behind league leaders Dundee United, and the Thistle gaffer will certainly be hammering home the old adage that points on the board are more valuable than games in hand.