Partick Thistle goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon snatched a dramatic stoppage-time leveller in a pulsating draw with Cove Rangers.
Cove captain Mitch Megginson struck early on and the home side’s defence looked to be holding firm to give the Aberdeen side their fifth league win of the season.
However, with virtually the last kick of the game, Stuart Bannigan swung in a corner and Sneddon flicked the ball into the net.
It was the culmination of a late surge from the visitors and the goalkeeper’s intervention sparked wildly celebrations from the travelling fans.
Cove made three changes from the 7-0 win over Dunipace, with Evan Towler, Scott Ross and Fraser Fyvie dropping out for Max Johnston, Jack Sanders and Connor Scully.
Cammy Smith drew the first save out of the game out of Stuart McKenzie but it took less than six minutes for Cove to go in front.
A well-worked move saw Gerry McDonagh fizz the ball out to Luis Longstaff, who fed Johnston charging forward on the overlap. Johnston’s cross was controlled by Megginson and Sneddon could only divert his shot into the net.
The Jags had a half-hearted call for a penalty when Kyle Turner skipped between Johnston and Gilmour then went down close to Sanders, but referee Steven McLean was not interested.
A McKenzie fumble from a Steven Lawless cross had Thistle forwards interested while down the other end Fyvie, who had come on for the injured Shay Logan, drilled wide after Johnston had picked him out.
The visitors endured a frustrating first period. An in-swinging ball from Harry Milne, on his return to Cove, was met by Brian Graham but he could only jab the ball wide.
Further evidence of Megginson and McDonagh’s growing partnership presented the former with a chance just before the break.
Fyvie zipped the ball into McDonagh’s feet at the edge of the box and he laid off for Megginson, who tested Sneddon with a low strike at his near post.
McKenzie was out quickly to prevent Danny Mullen getting to Graham’s flick-on at the start of the second half before McDonagh passed up a glorious chance to double the lead.
Darren Brownlie was slack in possession and allowed McDonagh to run clear from the centre-circle. He advanced on goal and tried to round Sneddon but without any real conviction, with goalkeeper sticking out a hand and stopping the opportunity.
Sneddon was on hand again to keep the deficit to one shortly after, with Luis Longstaff weaving into space and then firing for goal. The Thistle stopper got a hand on it and turned it round the post, inches away from Megginson.
Cove brought on Scott Ross and shifted to a back three, to nullify the Thistle attacks, and came close to a second themselves when Fyvie rapped a shot towards goal which Sneddon gathered at the second attempt.
Thistle threw bodies forward in the closing stages and ramped up the pressure, with Cove’s rearguard called into action to protect their goal.
Mark Reynolds managed to get himself in the way of Tony Weston’s goal-bound effort and Leighton McIntosh spurned a late chance to get a second.
When Partick got a corner in the fourth minute of stoppage-time Sneddon looked to the bench before sprinting forward. Bannigan’s delivery from the right was on the money and Sneddon nodded it inside the far post.
COVE RANGERS (4-4-2) – McKenzie 6; Johnston 7, Sanders 7, Reynolds 6, Logan 5 (Fyvie 23), Longstaff 7 (Ross 69), Yule 6, Gilmour 6, Scully 6, McDonagh 6 (McIntosh 72), Megginson 7. Subs not used – Gourlay, Neill, Towler, Dunne, Vigurs, Masson.
PARTICK THISTLE (4-3-3) – Sneddon 6; McMillan 5 (Fitzpatrick 81), Muirhead 6, Brownlie 5, Milne 6, McKinnon 6 (Weston 74), Hodson 5, Turner 6, Lawless 5 (Mullen 46), Graham 6, Smith 5 (Bannigan 46). Subs not used – McCready, Akinola, Stanway, Lyon.
Referee – Steven McLean
Player of the match – Luis Longstaff.