Motherwell 2 Partick Thistle 1

Stephen Craigan enjoyed a winning start as Motherwell caretaker manager as his side edged out Premiership bottom club Partick Thistle 2-1 at Fir Park. Appropriately for a man who put through his own net 12 times in his career, Craigan's reign was kick-started by a Freddie Frans own goal in the 26th minute and his former Motherwell team-mate Scott McDonald doubled the advantage in the 69th minute. Lionel Ainsworth provided two assists. But the win was far from comfortable as Thistle struck the woodwork either side of David Amoo netting only their third goal of the season within two minutes of coming off the bench. Under-20s coach Craigan was catapulted into the job on Wednesday when Ian Baraclough was sacked following Motherwell's League Cup defeat by Morton and he certainly made his own mark on the team selection. Ainsworth, Keith Lasley, Louis Moult and McDonald were recalled and Stephen Pearson made a surprise return from a knee injury. Liam Grimshaw moved to right-back as Josh Law dropped to the bench while Jake Taylor was out of the 18. Motherwell started in determined fashion and Marvin Johnson had a shot saved by the feet of Tomas Cerny. Thistle began to dominate possession and had several shots from distance before Robbie Muirhead glanced Sean Welsh's cross just over. But Motherwell went ahead following good work from Ainsworth, who skipped past Callum Booth inside the box and drilled the ball across goal. It looked like a shot that was going off target but Frans got his feet all wrong and diverted the ball into the roof of the net. Thistle were soon back on the attack and Steven Lawless twice came close. The former Motherwell winger had a header tipped over by Connor Ripley before smashing a 20-yard shot off the base of the post following the resulting corner. The visitors also had no luck when referee Steven McLean waved play on when Stephen McManus appeared to trip Welsh on the edge of the box, possibly just inside. Motherwell improved after the break though, and Cerny saved well from Ainsworth early on after a brilliant run before Moult headed the winger's free-kick just wide. Thistle right-back Mustapha Dumbuya had a shot saved but the visitors were not troubling Motherwell as much and they moved to a two up front, substitutes Kevin Nisbet and Mathias Pogba, just after Craigan switched to a five-man midfield when Jack Leith replaced Moult. Motherwell soon went further ahead when Ainsworth crossed with the outside of his boot straight to McDonald, who was unmarked in the six-yard box. Cerny saved the Australian's header but McDonald had time to knock the rebound home. Thistle made the finale interesting when Amoo got in front of Ripley to nod home from close range after Abdul Osman had headed on a 78th-minute corner. Nisbet hit the outside of the post from 22 yards but Motherwell battled their way through five added minutes to claim their third league win of the season.