Ten-man Arbroath hold off Partick Thistle to close gap on Championship top two

Findlay Marshall and Gavin Reilly dragged 10-man Arbroath closer to the William Hill Scottish Championship’s top two as they edged past second-placed Partick Thistle.

The Red Lichties, who started the day in third and nine points adrift of Thistle, looked to be cruising after Marshall’s 50th-minute strike and Reilly’s header 13 minutes later gave them a 2-0 lead.

But Craig Watson’s 74th-minute dismissal for violent conduct sparked a tense conclusion during which Alex Samuel reduced the deficit for the visitors, although Arbroath managed to hang on.

Dylan Easton scored twice as Raith eased themselves to within a point of the top four with a 6-0 demolition of bottom-of-the-table Ross County.

Rovers were already leading through Scott Brown’s eighth-minute strike when Dylan Smith fouled Paul McMullan inside the area and Easton converted the resulting 14th-minute penalty.

Jai Rowe added a third eight minutes before the break and Easton doubled his tally four minutes after the restart as the home side took complete charge.

There was still more to come, with substitute Paul Nsio and Jack Hamilton both scoring to complete the job as the hosts cruised to a resounding victory.

Dunfermline remain fifth, although they left it late to deny struggling Queen’s Park a priceless victory at the City Stadium.

Henry Fieldson’s close-range 40th-minute header from Carlo Pignatiello’s cross took the Spiders to within nine minutes of victory.

However, Charlie Gilmour ensured they left with only a point when he equalised with a close-range header from a Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen corner as it ended 1-1.

Sean McGinty was Aidrieonians’ match-winner in a 1-0 victory at Greenock Morton.

McGinty headed home Dean McMaster’s 62nd-minute set-piece to settle a tight encounter with the only goal.