Arbroath moved a point ahead of Kilmarnock at the top of the Championship after a 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle.
Colin Hamilton fired the Lichties into an early lead after smart link up play with Craig Wighton on six minutes.
The home side continued to threaten but couldn’t take advantage of their chances.
Thistle came out the second half sharper and were level on 60 minutes through Ciaran McKenna.
Both sides had great chances to take the lead but neither could could add to their tally with the clash ending all-square
One change
Arbroath were forced into one change with Jason Thomson dropping out due to an injury picked up in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Morton.
That saw Bobby Linn get his third start of the league campaign with Scott Stewart dropping to right back.
Arbroath vs Partick Thistle – Team News
Bobby Linn comes into the starting XI tonight as Scott Stewart steps into right back for Jason Thomson who had to come off on Saturday after a knock.
C'mon the Lichties pic.twitter.com/lsA4LRaSaS
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) March 1, 2022
Partick made four changes to the side that drew with Raith. Injured pair Kevin Holt and Scott Tiffoney returned while Brian Graham and Ciaran McKenna returned to the starting line-up.
Early goal
The Lichties got off to a dream start on five minutes with Colin Hamilton netting his fourth goal of the season.
The left back worked a throw in to Craig Wighton and the on-loan Dunfermline forward neatly worked the ball back to Hamilton as he burst into the box.
Hamilton still had a lot of work to do but neatly slotted the ball underneath Jamie Sneddon in the Partick goal.
The visitors were dealt a further blow a few minutes later with winger Scott Tiffoney having to make way for Robbie Crawford.
Arbroath seemed to have the bit between their teeth and continued to put pressure on the Jags’ defence.
Bobby Linn went agonisingly close to making it 2-0 with a sublime free-kick from 25 yards out.
The veteran attacker watched on as his effort smashed against the post then off keeper Sneddon and out for a corner.
From the resulting set play, Jack Hamilton and Thomas O’Brien both went close with chances in the busy Thistle box.
For all their dominance in the opening 45, Arbroath almost gifted Thistle a goal on 42 minutes.
Kyle Turner whipped in a free-kick into the box, Derek Gaston came for the punch but completely missed the ball. As he scrambled on the deck, Lewis Mayo took a shot which was blocked and then cleared by the Lichties.
It was the only blot on an otherwise excellent half for Dick Campbell’s side but they went into the break with a deserved 1-0 lead.
Second half
In a bid to get a footing back on the game, Ian McCall made two changes at the break with Rangers loanee Juan Alegria Arango and Richard Forster replacing Kyle Turner and Tunji Akinola.
Arango almost made an instant impact but his glancing header from a Cammy Smith cross went over the bar.
Moments later it was Arbroath’s turn to attack as the second half burst into life, as Linn thundered a shot straight at Sneddon in the Thistle goal.
The visitors certainly looked a lot sharper in the second half than they did in the first and were level on 60 minutes.
Thistle worked the ball across the middle of the park to Ciaran McKenna. The full-back then hit a shot from the edge of the box across the face of the Arbroath goal and into the bottom corner.
Dick Campbell then looked for fresh legs with Dale Hilson and Luke Donnelly replacing Craig Wighton and Luke Donnelly.
But Partick continued to threaten the part-time side with Graham going close on a couple of occasions.
The Jags were claiming for a penalty on 86 minutes after substitute Murray broke up the park and played the ball to Kevin Holt, who just had Gaston to beat.
The defender placed his shot wide of the post but the Arbroath keeper appeared to catch the Thistle player in the process.
Despite pleas from the visiting players, referee Peter Stuart was uninterested.
Partick keeper Sneddon was called into action late on tipping Dale Hilson’s misplaced cross over the bar.
But the game finished a point a-piece with Arbroath maintaining their impressive unbeaten record at Gayfield.
