Partick too strong for County

Impressive strikes from Frederic Frans and Stephen O'Donnell earned Partick Thistle victory against Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.Michael Gardyne gave County the lead against the run of play in the 21st minute, however an exceptional finish from Frans levelled the scores five minutes later.A goal early in the second half from O'Donnell sealed the points for Thistle.The home side began brightly enough, with a Martin Woods free-kick taking a bounce in the box before clearing the head of the incoming Craig Curran at the near post as it went behind for a goal kick.At the other end Ryan Stevenson got on the end of a Stephen O'Donnell cross but stabbed it wide of Mark Brown's right-hand post.Stevenson let fly again in the fifth minute but this time Brown gathered comfortably.Partick kept coming and Stevenson had another effort which flashed over the crossbar.But it was County who took the lead against the run of play when Jamie Reckord swung the ball over from the left and it landed nicely for Gardyne who rifled a low shot into the far corner of the net.Yet the home side's ascendancy did not last long. Frans collected the ball in the centre of the pitch and his 25-yard drive flew into the corner of the net.Brown got in a muddle when he came out of his goal to clear from Lyle Taylor and when the ball broke to Stevenson his effort flew wide of the target.The visitors looked the more likely to score next and Callum Booth was not far away with a low shot which swept narrowly past the far post.Partick starred the second half strongly. Taylor's cross into the box was headed behind for a corner by Marcus Fraser and seconds later Taylor fired into the side-netting.But the visitors went ahead in the 54th minute when O'Donnell met a headed clearance from Scott Boyd and drilled the ball past Brown at his near post from an acute angle.County fought to get back on level terms but Thistle almost increased their lead in the 70th minute when O'Donnell fired into the side-netting with the goal in his sights.The home side pushed for a leveller but Thistle deservedly held out for all three points.