Motherwell sneaked away from Firhill with a point after a late goal nfrom Scott McDonald. Partick Thistle missed a host of chances to wrap up the game and eventually paid the price.
It was not a surprise to see an unchanged Motherwell side line up as Lasley got the game underway but it soon became clear that the performance was short of the previous week's excellent display against Hamilton.
Motherwell, in the white away strip, faced the undeveloped end of Firhill but they were rare visitors to the Thistle half as the home team dominated the first half. Although we were forced to defend for extended spells it Samson had little to do. Apart from a few deep runs from Cadden the home defence had it easy.
Hammell prompted the only goal of the half with a horriffic attempted at a pass back. From his position wide on the left and 18 yards out he squared the ball into his area woefully short of his 'keeper. Erskine was presented with the simplest of tasks and he made no mistake. Hammell held his head in his hands as the Thistle players celebrated.
For a brief spell after the 32 minute opener we raised the pace and showed some attacking flair but the flurry was short lived.
Hopes of a second half revival seemed ill-founded as Thistle continued to have the batter of the ball. They fashioned three golden chances to kill the contest but a combination of slack finishing from Azeez and Amoo together with some frantic last ditch defending gave us a little hope.
McDonald looked like our best hope of gaining a point. He had a turn and shot from 12 yards but blasted high then his header found the net but the offside flag chalked the goal off.
Bowman and Moult looked quite unlike the deadly duo of last week and it was no surprise to see Moult replaced by McFadden with 20 minutes remaining. We started to press and McManus came close with a defleted effort that earned a corner.
Ainsworth came on for Lasley for the closing 10 mnutes and the equaliser soon followed. Tait swung in a tempting cross from the right and McDonald rose to head beyond Scully. t was an unlikely equaliser but, undaunted, we had the audacity to push for a winner. Bownam and Cadden came close to robbing Thistle of their point but the final whistle decreed that the teams would leave with a point each.
Thistle will not believ that they failed to win the game but from Motherwell's point of view it was a reward for persistence. We will rarely deliver such a poor performnce and remain undefeted.
Partick Thistle 1 Motherwell 1
Attendance 3,227 (838)
Team: Samson, Tait, Hammell, Heneghan, McManus, Moult (McFadden 72), Bowman, Cadden, Lasley (Ainsworth 80), Clay, McDonald