Thistle hang on to open the league season with a 3-2 win. 

A Thistle side seriously depleted in terms of defenders build up a three goal lead but twice concede from corners but that should detract from some of the fantastic stuff that went before. 

Thistle clear the corner but the ball is returned deep into the box where it drops to Rudden on the left hand side. He rather scuffs his cross and Mitchell gathers. 

It's panic stations as Thistle concede a free kick on the edge of the box. 

Twice the ball falls to Mulligan and twice he sees shots blocked. 

The 90 minutes have come and gone. Can't see less than 4 minutes of added time. 

Milne steps in to clear. 

Mitchell gathers the ball at the edge of his penalty area. Time is moving very slowly in this bit of Dundee at the moment. 

It's cleared but Dundee pick up the ball. A pass is aimed wide for Rudden but he takes the ball out of play and Thistle have a goal kick. 

Dundee free kick in from the left hand touchline. 

Thistle have not looked confident defending corners all afternoon and Dundee score a second from a corner. This time it is a back post header from French that does the damage. 

Strap yourself in for the final 6 plus minutes. 

Mitchell saves Thistle with a tremendous one handed save with Holt nodded the loose ball over the bar. 

Dowds forces Sweeney to hurry a clearance and Thistle have a throw deep in the Dundee half. 

Into the final 10 minutes. Thistle still leading by two but it isn't exactly comfortable. 

McGowan skips down the Dundee left before cutting back for Mulligan who lifts his shot high over the Thistle crossbar. 

Thistle break when they clear the free kick but Tiffoney's shot is too straight to worry Sharp. 

Mulligan advances into the Thistle box until his route to goal is blocked. Dundee pick up the ball once more though and win another free kick deep inside the Thistle half. 

Graham finds Tiffoney to his left and although Tiffoney is unable to progress he does win a throw and buys Thistle some time in the Dundee half. 

There is an anxious moment for Thistle as Rudden heads on for Jakubiak but he can't get enough on the ball to truly trouble Mitchell. 

Dundee win a free kick deep inside the Thistle half with Thistle again pulling men back. 

Docherty makes a near post run to meet Turner's low flighted corner but he can't divert his header on target. 

A ball is lofted into the Thistle box looking for Jakubiak but his touch is poor and the ball goes out for a Thistle goal kick. 

Kerr darts to the near post to meet McGowan's corner and his header finds the net. 

Thistle appeal for offside and when the flag isn't raised Mitchell makes a good save low down getting enough on the ball to push it away from a lurking Rudden. 

McGowan clips the free kick into the Thistle box but Holt takes charge and heads clear. 

Mulligan is fouled and the home side have a free kick deep inside the Thistle half. Thistle have pulled every player behind the ball to defend the free kick. 

Rudden plays a great pass out wide to McGowan but Jakubiak can't force his cross home at the back post. 

You felt that the opening exchanges of the second half would be important and that feels like a big moment in the match. 

Graham has the ball at the left hand side of the box. He lifts the ball across goal to McKinnon who steers his header home. 

McGowan lifts aa cross into the Thistle 6 yard box but Mitchell is there to claim it. 

What a first half that has been for Thistle who are given a tremendous ovation from the travelling support as they leave the pitch at the break. 

Goals from Aidan Fitzpatrick and Steven Lawless, his first since returning to the club in the summer, have The Jags two to the good at the interval. 

It could even have been three right on half time had Brian Graham converted at the back post when a goal looked certain. 

It is anything but job done though. Although David Mitchell hasn't been tested too much there has been plenty of Dundee pressure and anxious moments for a Thistle defence missing a number of key players. 

Into first half additional time. 

Thistle miss a great chance to make it three before the break. Fitzpatrick sends over a great cross from the right to the back post and Graham's effort from close range comes off the bar. 

Sweeney's header doesn't pose Mitchell any problems. 

With the pattern of the game as it is right now you have a sense that these 10 minutes prior to half-time are going to be very important. 

The Thistle wall does it's job and blocks McGinn's free kick. 

Mulligan is fouled near the edge of the Thistle box right of centre. 

It's a really open game. Perhaps just too open for Thistle right now and Mulligan advances to the edge of the box only to see his shot blocked. 

Fitzpatrick looks to be fouled as Thistle try and break from the corner but the referee plays advantage and the Thistle attack breaks down. 

A lovely first time pass from Lawless finds Fitzpatrick in the box but the scorer of the first goal is a fraction offside and up goes the flag. 

Out of the blue Thistle are two in front. Graham hassles Sweeney into an error who presents the ball to Lawless directly in front of goal, albeit just outside the box, and he slams the ball home. 

Bannigan pushes a pass up to Graham inside the Dundee box. Graham takes a touch and finds space but doesn't make clean contact with the ball and an opportunity is lost. 

It's an easy catch for Mitchell from McGinn's corner. 

Graham cones deep for the ball but loses it to Marshall who plays a pass up to Jakubiak but Mitchell makes a comfortable save from his low shot. 

It's Thistle that hit the front though. Milne plays the ball to the feet of Fitzpatrick at the edge of the box. His shot takes a deflection which is enough to prevent Sharp from keeping it out. 

Yet again Dundee look unsuccessfully for a corner after a strong Milne challenge on McGinn but the home side are building up a head of steam with Thistle struggling to see much of the ball in the Dundee half. 

It's slack play from Thistle that gives Dundee their opportunity and some home fans think that they have scored but McGinn's effort hits the side netting. A let off for Thistle all the same. 

Dundee again able in vain for a corner, this time after threatening down the Thistle right hand side. 

After a bright start from Thistle it's Dundee that have had the better of the last few minutes and they look for a corner as Fitzpatrick track backs but the game restarts with a Thistle goal kick. 

There is a shooting chance for Docherty when Turner's corner falls to him but his shot is quickly blocked. 

It's Milne on the left that poses the first threat to Dundee and he is fouled in a position that will give Turner a chance to get the ball into the box. 

It's Kyle Turner that is occupying the right back role. 

Dundee get the game underway. Thistle are shooting towards the away end in the first half. 

After a successful Premier Sports Cup campaign the league season starts with a trip to Dens Park to face title favourites Dundee. 

There are a few surprises in the Thistle starting eleven with no fewer than three centre backs unavailable. 

David Mitchell is given the nod to start in the goal and it is thought that Jack McMillan will step across from right back to occupy one of the two centre back positions with perhaps Kyle Turner dropping into the vacant right back slot but we await kick-off and confirmation of precisely how Thistle will line up at the back. 

What we do now for certain is that Scott Tiffoney is back in the squad for the first time this season and takes up a position on an eight man substitute bench that shows a number of options but a dearth of defensive cover.