Partick 3 Inverness 1

Words by Andy Newport

Inverness saw their month-long run as Scottish Premiership leaders come to a crashing halt as Partick Thistle dished out their first league defeat of the season.

Aaron Doran had put the Highlanders ahead after 13 minutes at Firhill, but the hosts came surging back to win it 3-1 with strikes from Steven Lawless, Abdul Osman and Kallum Higginbotham.

The Jags could even afford to see Kris Doolan miss his last-minute penalty as their victory now hands top spot to Hamilton, who move above John Hughes' side on goal difference after their 2-2 draw with Dundee United.

But it also reignites Partick's stuttering season, which had started with an emphatic 4-0 drubbing of Ross County before slumping after back-to-back defeats against Accies and Aberdeen.

Scott Fox was back in goal for the hosts after replacing Paul Gallacher, but his first involvement nearly had boss Alan Archibald regretting the swap.

Marley Watkins launched a 25-yard pile-driver which went straight down Fox's throat, but the Thistle stopper had to pounce on it at the second attempt after he embarrassingly let it spill over his left shoulder.

Ross Draper was then lucky to keep his place on the pitch after smashing into Higginbotham with a crude tackle from behind. The Thistle playmaker reacted angrily as he leapt to his feet to shove the Caley Thistle midfielder but referee Stephen Finnie only produced a yellow.

And the Jags' sense of injustice only worsened soon after as Doran fired the Highlanders ahead.

A fine move down the right saw David Raven sweep a low cross into the Partick box. Ryan Christie threw off the home defence with a clever dummy and which let in Doran, leaving the Irishman to take a touch before rifling his clinical finish low past Fox.

But Partick did not nibble on sour grapes for too long and grabbed the leveller seven minutes after going behind.

Ryan Stevenson picked out Lawless on the right-hand side but the winger should have been held up by Graeme Shinnie before he got to the box. However, the Inverness full-back was slow getting out and Lawless took advantage as he bent a precise shot in off the far post.

The goal rattled the visitors and they were still at sixes and sevens when they allowed Osman to power home a header from Higginbotham's deep cross barely three minutes later.

Christie was named August's young player of the month and he showed his class again with cunning lobbed pass for Doran, but Billy McKay was unable to net after his team-mate overcooked his back-post cross.

Higginbotham turned from victim to culprit seven minutes after the break when he slid in on Dean Brill as the Caley keeper tried to clear a back-pass, while Fox had to get down quickly to his left to keep out Christie's low strike on the hour mark.

Despite trailing, Inverness failed to raise the tempo and their lethargy cost them with 18 minutes left when Higginbotham fired home the third.

Stevenson did well to find Lawless in the channel and the former Motherwell man danced his way into the box before teeing up Higginbotham, who smashed his low drive into the corner of the net.

Watkins thought he had pulled a swift goal back for Hughes' men but the offside flag ruled out his 12-yard volley, while Doolan's spot-kick was easily saved by Brill after the striker had been tripped in the box by Raven.