Saturday 3rd October, 2026 at 8:30pm
Partick Thistle current crop of players etched their names into the history books on Saturday, with a 3-0 win over Arbroath at the WrightKerr Stadium at Firhill breaking a 115-year-old club record.
The triumph over the Red Lichties, who the Jags had failed to beat in four tries last season, was a 24th consecutive home league game without defeat for the Maryhill men – the best such run by any Thistle side.
There were two changes to the side that started the 0-0 draw with Raith Rovers a fortnight prior. Goalkeeper Lewis Budinauckas came in for Liam McFarlane, who was away on international duty with the Scotland Under-21s while Ben Stanway returned to the starting XI, at the expense of Aidan Fitzpatrick.
The Jags’ first chance of the game came on the three-minute mark. A Thistle corner from Euan Henderson was lofted into the box and onto the head of Lee Ashcroft with the home skipper heading on target. After beating the ‘keeper, the ball seemed net-bound but Craig Watson was on hand to clear off the line.
It wouldn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken though, with Thistle taking the lead on eight minutes. A rushed clearance in the Arbroath defence from a testing forward ball came to Seb Drozd and the winger fed a pass to Ben Stanway. After taking a second to compose himself, the Academy graduate took aim and fizzed a right-footed shot beyond Aidan McAdams and into the back of the net.
A goal to the good, Thistle played with the wind in their sails, and soon started to stamp their authority. Alex Samuel had an opportunity to open his account for this Championship season when he found some space in the visitors’ box, only for Sean Mackie to dispossess him with a well-timed tackle.
Arbroath were still showing signs of danger, though, with Michael McKenna having Thistle hearts in mouths when he ripped off a 35-yard strike on 19 minutes which passed Budinauckas in the Thistle goal, only to rattle off the post and bounce back out.
Three minutes later, Stanway settled the nerves with a second for the hosts. Some good build-up play saw Smyth break down the left and play a pass to Drozd who in turn teed up the Jags’ number 26. Stanway let fly, once again slamming the ball into the roof of the net from just outside the area.
Ben Dempsey was next to try his luck after being laid off by Samuel following some exquisite passing play. Dempsey was denied by a cat-like reflex save from McAdams, dropping down fast to stop Thistle increasing their lead.
With five minutes left in the half, Stanway picked out Paddy Reading at the back post, but his volley lacked the power and accuracy to beat the ‘keeper.
After his first senior brace, Stanway then looked set to grab a hat-trick when he drove his way into the box at an angle minutes before half time. McAdams once again pulled out a good save, diving low again to parry Stanway’s powerful drive out to safety as the Jags had to settle for a two-goal lead at the break.
Half-time – Partick Thistle 2 Arbroath 0
There were no changes during the interval and Thistle continued to press as they had In the first half with Dempsey and Samuel both having speculative efforts that whizzed over the bar shortly after the restart.
On the hour, Mark Wilson rung the changes with Aidan Fitzpatrick and Tony Watt coming on as the home side sought to put the game to bed.
To that end, Thistle made it 3-0 with just over twenty minutes to go. Arbroath found themselves penned into their own area as the Jags continued to encroach on the goal. Ben McPherson drilled a cross into the box towards Tony Watt. The striker flicked the ball towards goal and into the back of the net via a deflection – his first goal of the league campaign.
Watt then found his way round his marker minutes later and tried a shot from an angle that McAdams once again did well to save.
Drozd and Dempsey soon made their exit, replaced by Robbie Crawford and Gary Mackay-Steven and the latter was unlucky not to grab an assist straight after coming on, with the winger spotting Fitzpatrick racing through the middle.
Mackay-Steven threaded a pass through for his fellow substitute in prime position to make it 4-0, but Fitzpatrick dragged his effort narrowly wide from 15 yards out.
Stanway came off five minutes before the end, receiving a hero’s ovation as he walked off, replaced by Ts’oanelo Lets’osa. With the points in the bag, the final few moments saw little in the way of chances before the referee signalled for full-time.
Full Time – Partick Thistle 3 Arbroath 0
Today’s victory sees Thistle eclipse the runs of George Easton’s 1910/11 side and Davie McParland’s League Cup winning side in 1970/71 and cement this as the longest undefeated streak of home league matches in Thistle’s history.
With Stenhousemuir not in action, this result sees the Jags reduce the gap at the top of the table to seven points and climb up to third thanks to Livingston’s defeat to Ayr United.
The Lions are Thistle’s next opponents with Mark Wilson’s team travelling to West Lothian for a 3pm kick-off next Saturday.
Teams:
Partick Thistle: Lewis Budinauckas; Paddy Reading, Lee Ashcroft, Cale Loughrey, Ben McPherson; Ben Dempsey (Robbie Crawford, 76’), Oisin Smyth, Ben Stanway (Ts’oanelo Lets’osa, 85’): Sebastian Drozd (Gary Mackay-Steven, 76’), Euan Henderson (Aidan Fitzpatrick, 63’), Alex Samuel (Tony Watt, 63’).
Unused Substitutes: Connor Storey; Cammy Logan, Ethan Ingram, Dan O’Reilly.
Arbroath: Aidan McAdams; Sean Mackie (Brody Paterson, 77’), Charlie Dewar, Craig Watson, Thomas Beadling: Ryan Flynn (Scott McGill, 83’), Scott Constable; Ryan Dow (Cormac Daly, 67’), Michael McKenna (Dylan Reid, 68’), Jacob Macintyre; Andrew Winter (Gavin Reilly, 67’).
Unused Substitutes: Jordan Pettigrew: Colin Hamilton, David Gold.
Referee: Jamie Wilkie
Attendance: 4,066 (196 away)
By David Forrest
50/50 half-time draw results
First Prize: 316464
Second Prize: 316509
