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They might have had someone from Dingwall doing the sums.

Great to see a win at last but reading the reports doesn't sound like a great team performance. At least we are back in the top 4 but a bit of a gap to Ayr who seem pretty strong. The Arabs are also beginning to get their act together. We really need to step up a couple of gears and stringing a few wins together (including the upcoming match at Somerset Park).

I was at the Joopie Mitchell memorial game against Celtic. I was in the stand with my dad and remember Tommy Gemmil amongst others. It was at Telford Street and tickets were hard to get but my dad worked alongside Alec Main so we must have got tickets via him. A memorable occasion for a young schoolboy. This is my first post by the way though I was around in the early days with the late Gordy from Sneck. I have been a lurker though and appreciate all your posts keeping me up with the news. Thanks.

Seven sides from the sixth tier will be in Monday's draw for the second round alongside Hampton & Richmond who play Oldham on Monday... Billericay Town (replay against Chesterfield) Southport Slough Town (replay against Sutton United) Woking Stockport County Chorley (replay against Doncaster) Guiseley

I wasn't there last week, when apparently we were very good, but in footballing terms today wasn't a great performance, although a definite improvement on the Utd and Alloa matches. Partick probably played the better football and made the better chances in the first half, although they barely tested Ridgers; we definitely had more of it in the second, with Polworth controlling things in the middle, but even then, to secure the win, we had to rely on a brilliant penalty save from Ridgers and a horrific miss from Aidan Fitzpatrick when he was through on goal in the final minute. It was, however, a battling performance, and you could see what it meant to the players with the celebrations at the end. Coll Donaldson seemed to be playing most of the second half with an injury and still won everything; McCart had a fine game alongside him; Chalmers was tenacious and mostly solid, filling in a position where he struggled badly at the start of last season, Welsh and Polworth were excellent and Walsh never stopped looking to create, despite some frustrating final balls, and was eventually rewards with a great goal after a terrific run. Even Trafford, whose touch and distribution were ropey at times, and who must have sensed the crowd's frustration, never hid and never stopped fighting. And Ridgers, of course, was Ridgers. To be honest, the tense, scrappy nature of the win probably made the end of the match more cathartic and satisfying than a 3-0 stroll would have done, but it would make our games an easier watch if we had better final product and better movement up front at times. Hopefully this is something that will improve over the season, although with our budget and squad size there are always going to be limitations, not helped when one of our more creative outlets makes his position untenable. Hopefully the freeing-up of Calder's wage will allow us to bring in someone else who can add width and creativity to the team, in January if not before. In the meantime, we have a great opportunity to build on finally breaking the run of draws in Dumfries next week.

Record attendance for Thistle 7,550 for a friendly against Celtic in 1972 to inaugurate the then new floodlights at Kingsmills.

It's so great to be reading the cheeriness and optimism from the posts today, raises the spirit no end. Well done to all, obviously an all round team and backroom staff effort to get through the difficult week and get the result

Great result. 3 points picked up at last. Other results also pretty favourable. Best day in a while for ICT.

You know, Caley D, your statement about your weight challenge above, is one of the best posts I have seen or read recently. It's inspirational because it shows that no matter how tough things may seem you have to just keep on trucking and if, in your heart, you know that you are the one who must make a change to happen then even a limited amount of encouragement is very welcome and is also inspiring. It was apparent in my life from way-back that I, and only I, could make the necessary changes, or put in the necessary work that would be required to accomplish this goal of change and improvement. So I persevered and when I fell down and someone offered a word of upliftment or help I accepted it gracefully but used my own legs to get back on my feet and my own drive to press on. However, that is my looking back with hindsight and not every youngster can take the necessary steps to beat the odds and forge ahead on his or her own. When I was young my mother took me to visit an older lady friend on Lochalsh Road and during the conversation at the door the lady made a nice remark about my appearance and mother replied "yes, he's not backward at coming forward either". I squirmed a bit because I truly did not see what she was implying. It's true that I like to engage people in conversation because I need to continually learn things from them, even at age 80 plus, and it's also an antidote to boredom. Ask and you shall receive, sit quietly in a corner and rarely will you be noticed or troubled and so It's your choice in life. Had I been the non-restless type then I would not be here in Canada marvelling at what I see around me and learning things that I could never learn elsewhere. Our team is young and needs guidance and upliftment and a helping hand as they mature. Primarily they need positive criticism , not negative put-downs and sneering. Some guys possibly need to be dropped but only after a significant warning. Where they can't comply then the Manager must offer additional help and training and take a vital interest in the lad because he will then be aware that the Manager and others care about his progress and value his contribution to the club.