Tod scores stunner as Dunfermline draw with Partick

Dunfermline and Partick Thistle played out a cagey draw under the lights at East End Park.

Tony Watt gave Thistle an early lead as he took advantage of a stray back-pass from Dylan Lobban.

Andrew Tod’s brilliant strike levelled things up going into the break.

Both sides had chances to steal the points in the second-half, and will rue the missed opportunities to move further up the Scottish Championship table.

Sam Cleall-Harding missed out through injury, being replaced by Aaron Donnelly. Top scorer Josh Cooper also dropped to the bench with Allan Oyirworth being preferred in the middle of the park.

Mark Wilson recalled wing duo Aidan Fitzpatrick and Gary MacKay-Steven, with Seb Drozd and Euan Henderson making way.

Partick Thistle were the first to get a shot on target, with Fitzpatrick shifting inside and forcing Aston Oxborough to make a comfortable save at his near post.

Dunfermline responded well, Andrew Tod sending a low drive wide of the goal following a brief scramble in the box from a Pars corner.

Thistle would break the deadlock on 15 minutes as a blind pass from Lobban was punished by Watt, the experienced forward easily beating Oxborough to put the visitors ahead.

Olamilekan Adams showed some nice skill to work it onto his stronger foot, but his effort was routine for Lewis Budinauckas.

Captain Lee Ashcroft briefly left the field to receive treatment for a head knock, returning with a white bandage wrapped around his forehead shortly after Alfons Amade, teed up by good play from Tod, blazed his effort high over the net.

With half-time looming, Tod received the ball 25-yards from goal after some great hold-up play from Adams, and unleashed an fantastic curling effort into the top corner leaving Budinauckas with no chance.

Pars should have gone into the break in-front, as Robbie Fraser did well to slip Keith Bray through on goal, but the former Inverness kid shot straight at the keeper.

Dunfermline started the brighter of the two in the second-half, Oyirworth picking up space just outside the area and sending his shot crashing off of the post.

There was a sense of deja vu when less than a minute later Oyirworth found himself free in almost the exact same position, but this time he ballooned it over the bar.

Another blind Pars pass, this time from Fraser, was just out of reach of MacKay-Steven, which could have proven very costly on another day.

Clear-cut chances were hard to come by for a long period, before substitute Seb Drozd burned forward and picked out Watt through on goal, who was denied a brace by a strong hand from Oxborough.

Just moments later, Tod had the chance to add to his stunner as he got himself on the end of a wonderful delivery from deep from Lobban, with Tod connecting on the volley which went narrowly over the Jags net.

The home side continued to push as the clock ticked on, Fraser picking out Adams in the box whose tome header was collected by Budinauckas.

Substitute Alex Samuel should’ve found the next after a loose ball gifted him an opportunity, denied by the long legs of Oxborough who as quick to react to the danger.

As full-time drew to a close, both teams got desperate, with penalty claims being quickly waved off by referee Peter Stuart.

Partick Thistle missed out on the opportunity to go top of the Championship, with surprise package Stenhousemuir still sitting at the summit.

Dunfermline will feel frustrated with another home draw, with chances being there for both sides to claim all three points.