Stranraer 3-4 Partick Thistle

Paul McGrillen scored Thistle's late winner

Stranraer's final home game of the season proved to be an exciting finale but champions Partick Thistle walked away with the points after a thrilling win.

The victory ended any faint promotion hopes Stranraer were carrying.

Thistle just deserved their narrow win for persistence alone.

For the opening 20 minutes or so there was little to choose between the sides.

Then, after 23 minutes, Thistle keeper Kenny Arthur slipped going for a forward ball from Stranraer's Mark Weir and let Ian Harty in to go around him and open the scoring.

Scott McLean was on the scoresheet

Thistle struck back quickly, Mark McNally flicking home a Danny Lennon cross from close range on 26 minutes.

Seven minutes later Stranraer's Paul Walker, who had been causing Thistle problems with his neat footwork, pounced on a Fraser Wright pass to put Stranraer ahead again.

Then with a couple of minutes left in the first half Walker struck again, steering home yet another Wright pass which had left the visiting defence at sixes and sevens.

After the break Thistle pushed strongly and were unlucky with a James Smith header which just cleared the bar and a Peter Lindau shot which tested home keeper Stephen O'Neill.

But the keeper was at fault on 53 minutes when Barry Elliot, from an unlikely angle, delivered a fairly weak shot which slipped through O'Neill's hands and went under him to finish in the back of the net.

Ten minutes later Thistle were level, Scott McLean putting the finishing touch to a brilliant move set up by David McCallum and carried on by Elliot.

In a thrilling finale, Thistle substitute Paul McGrillen grabbed his side's winner two minutes from time when he had the easiest of tasks in touching home an Elliot cross.

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Stranraer: O'Neil, Knox, Johnstone, Farrell, Wright, Weir, Blair, Grace, McGeown, Walker, Harty.

Subs: Greig McDonald, Bryce, Hodge, Jenkins, Geraghty.

Partick: Arthur, Docherty, Archibald, Craigan, Smith, McNally, Lindau, Lennon, McLean, Elliot, McCallum.

Subs: Stewart, Moore, McGrillen, Hamilton, Brown.

Referee: I R Brines