Partick Thistle claimed their third Scottish Premiership win over Dundee this season to replace the Dens Park side in the top six.

Julen Etxabeguren touched into his own net from Kris Doolan's low cross to give Thistle the lead.

James Vincent tested Tomas Cerny as the hosts pressed in the second half.

Darren O'Dea and Faissal El Bakhtaoui also threatened for Dundee and Doolan had a goal ruled out for offside before the end.

The Jags are now five points off St Johnstone and two ahead of the Dark Blues.

Partick double act

The visitors had a solid platform to build on, with a tight back three and five strung across midfield. That allowed Chris Erskine and Doolan licence to play as out-and-out strikers, with the former always looking to dart into space behind the Dundee back line.

Erskine was typically impressive on the ball, able to carry it quickly and directly into dangerous areas and past opponents. He has a deft touch and clever vision, and he roamed around looking to be an influence.

Thistle had won the previous two encounters 2-0

His first meaningful act was to sweep a shot on target that Dundee goalkeeper Scott Bain had to hold, and just before half-time he stuck another effort that flew wide. In between, Partick Thistle opened the scoring when Doolan raced down the right and delivered a cross into the six-yard box.

Ryan Edwards raced in to try to meet the ball, but it was Dundee defender Extabeguren who had the final touch before the ball ran over the line.

Doolan remained sharp and he demanded a good save from Bain with a low shot towards the near post in the second half.

Dundee rally

The home side had been ragged during the opening half, lacking in width or attacking impetus. They were more assertive after the break, pinning the Partick Thistle defenders back near their own penalty area in the early stages.

With Marcus Haber more physically imposing after the break, Dundee carried a greater edge. The visitors defended stoutly, but Vincent was allowed enough space to rifle a shot on target from distance, Cerny pushing away.

Manager Paul Hartley sent on striker El Bakhtaoui to try to alter the scoreline, but moments later he had to make a further change when the luckless Extaberguren went off.

O'Dea might have equalised late on, but his header at the back post bounced wide of the upright, then El Bakhtaoui volleyed wide.

Extaberguren went off after 69 minutes

Thistle stand firm

Even under pressure, the Thistle defence seldom looked fragile. The back three of Niall Keown, Daniel Devine and Liam Lindsay were strong in the air and they cleared almost everything that Dundee threw at them.

When the ball did break inside the penalty area, there was always a Partick Thistle body on hand to block and clear. In front of them, Adam Barton was a tall, rangy presence, closing down the ball and space to help keep Dundee at bay.

Doolan thought he had scored their second but was flagged offside. It mattered little though as Thistle extended their winning run to four going into Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final away to Aberdeen.

Hartley disappointed, Archibald delight

Dundee manager Paul Hartley: "It was a scrappy game, I didn't think there was a lot of quality.

"We were probably better in the second half in terms of the pressure we put on them, but we didn't pass the ball well. They defended pretty well and we didn't perform the way I wanted us to perform. We didn't move the ball quickly enough, we looked laboured compared to the last two performances.

"We've got to pick ourselves up. We've got six games before the [Premiership] split and hopefully we can make it into the [top six].

"It looks a bad Achilles injury [for Extaberguren], so we need to make sure he gets to hospital and we assess him, but it doesn't look good."

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald: "We worked ever so hard all over the pitch, defended from the front and delighted to get the three points.

"[Doolan and Erskine] picked up some great areas, not as much on the counter, but quick turnovers. Chris Erskine links up well with Doolan and on every Dundee attack I thought we looked a threat as soon as we got the ball.

"We knew they would come and have a go [after the break], but I thought we started the second half well then Dundee had 10 or 15 minutes when they put us under real pressure. We defended brilliantly, the three centre-backs defend crosses really well towards the end, they were outstanding.

"It gives us something to build on. It's good for the lads to look at the table [and see Partick Thistle in the top six] and we want to stay there for longer this time."