With defender Nauris Bulvitis's registration clearing in time, Manager Terry Butcher made only one change to the starting eleven that defeated Airdrie United last Saturday for today's visit of Partick Thistle.  Dougie Imrie, who has been linked in the newspapers with a move to SPL side Hamilton Accies dropped out of the squad and was replaced by Jonny Hayes on the right flank.  After making his 500th appearance last weekend Ross Tokely wore the number 9 jersery today, the only one he has never worn in the one to eleven range.

 On 6 minutes we came close to opening the scoring, Jonny Hayes broke forward and with good timing he slid a ball behind the Partick defence for Adam Rooney to run onto to, but Thistle keeper Tuffey was alert and raced out to block.

Three minutes later and once again John Tuffey prevented an opener, Jonny Hayes was once again the creator crossing in from the right and Richie Foran climbed above his marker to head goalwards but the goalkeeper dived to his left to push the ball away.

However slightly against the run of play Partick took the lead on 16 minutes, Marc Corcoran looked to be going nowhere as he moved across the pitch and the he unleashed a 30 yard curling left foot effort which fizzed into the net leaving Ryan Esson rooted to the spot.

Jonny Hayes made a driving run into the Partick box on 21 minutes and appeared to be brought down by the leg of John Robertson but referee David Somers didn't agree and then booked Hayes for diving.

On the 38th minute we equalised with a fine goal, Richie Foran headed a Ryan Esson kick out on to Adam Rooney, who then sent Foran down the left flank.  Richie's first time ball found the onrushing Jonny Hayes and he showed great composure to strike the ball into the net in off the far post.

Half-time score: ICT 1 (Hayes 38 mins) - Partick Thistle 1 (Corcoran 16 mins)

Three minutes into the second period we pressed for a second, Partick gave the ball away deep in their own half, Dani Sanchez then let fly from 20 yards and John Tuffey in the Partick goal produced a great save to push the ball behind for a corner kick.

At the other end only a fine save by the feet of Ryan Esson at his near post stopped striker Liam Buchanan popping up with a goal as play swung from end to end. 

On 67 minutes we were awarded a penalty when Brian Hodge brought down Adam Rooney on the right hand edge of the box.  The Irishman stepped up looking to repeat last week's feat of scoring but his high effort was deflected over the bar by Partick keeper John Tuffey.

With twelve minutes left for play we missed a great opportunity for number two, we broke quickly up field and Adam Rooney's square pass across the box found Dani Sanchez one on one with the goalkeeper but his first touch let him down and Tuffey managed to block his effort.

Adam Rooney then spurned a good chance two minutes later, Lionel Djebi-Zadi's pass put him clean through but he shot early from a tight angle and the ball fizzed past the far post.  Eric Odhiambo replaced Richie Foran in the same minute.

With four minutes left we were awarded a second penalty, Adam Rooney looked certain to pull the trigger on goal when Ian Maxwell hauled him down.  Maxwell was shown a straight red card and Adam Rooney showed his mettle to spot the ball again.  This time he made no mistake, slamming the ball home to make it 2-1.

The three points moved us into third place in the league.

Full-time score: ICT 2 (Hayes 38 mins & Rooney 88 mins) - Partick Thistle 1 (Corcoran 16 mins)

Attendance: 3107

ICT Team

Esson

Tokely, Bulvitis, Munro, Djebi-Zadi

Proctor, Cox

Hayes, Sanchez, Foran

Rooney

Subs: Allison (GK), Odhiambo for Foran (80 mins), Duncan, Golabek, Eagle