Partick Thistle 2 Inverness CT 0

Partick Thistle began their Premiership campaign with an encouraging 2-0 win over Inverness at Firhill. In the 36th minute with a piece of skill out of keeping with a scrappy first-half, midfielder Chris Erskine, in his third spell with the Maryhill side, opened the scoring with a wonderful curling shot. Jags attacker David Amoo added a second in the 59th minute from close range to give Alan Archibald's side their first three points of the season although it was far from a feast of football between two teams who went into the game in fine form. The home side had won four out of four Betfred Cup ties while Inverness's new manager Richie Foran had enjoyed three wins and a draw in the competition - albeit they lost on penalties to Dundee United - to also qualify for the knockout stages. A feisty start to the encounter saw Thistle's new right-back Ziggy Gordon pick up a booking in the fourth minute for his challenge on Inverness wide man Billy King, who fired a 20-yard drive over the bar moments later. The home side threatened little although they had a decent chance when stopper Liam Lindsay got his head to Sean Welsh's deep free-kick only to miss the target. Indeed, the game was drifting aimlessly before it was steered on Partick's course by Erskine. Steven Lawless picked up a Callum Booth pass and fed it to the former Dundee United player just inside the box and he cut on to his left before despatching a shot high past helpless Inverness keeper Owain Fon Williams. Inverness striker Scott Boden dragged a shot wide of the target just before the but the visitors' response was far from ferocious. A decent move by the Highlanders, however, in the 58th minute ended with Greg Tansey driving wide from 20 yards but a minute later they found themselves two behind. Another long and searching free-kick beyond the far post by Welsh was headed back by stretching Jags captain Abdul Osman and when Lindsay's header towards goal was blocked, Amoo bundled it into the back of the net from two yards out. Inverness kept probing for the goal which would bring them back into the contest but the Glasgow side retained their own menace and in the 71st minute a thunderous angled-strike from Lawless fizzed past the post. Six minutes later Lindsay was replaced by Ade Azeez after a hefty challenge by Caley Thistle substitute Ross Draper, on for Jake Mulraney, with a reshuffle required by the home side with which they coped well. Inverness ran out of ideas and steam in the final stages and with four minutes remaining Fon Williams saved Kris Doolan's close range drive to prevent the defeat being more comprehensive.