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Partick Thistle survived a Motherwell comeback to close to within a point of Dundee at the foot of the Premiership with victory over Motherwell.

Blair Spittal whipped in a superb free-kick to score the first of three goals in 13 first-half minutes.

Ryan Edwards smashed in the second before Conor Sammon side-footed home, Miles Storey the provider for both.

But Ryan Bowman's header gave Well a lifeline and Craig Tanner's low shot produced a nervy finish.

Elliott Frear might have grabbed an equaliser but his low header was saved by Tomas Cerny.

Victory - on manager Alan Archibald's 40th birthday - was only Thistle's third of the season, while Motherwell remain sixth after a third straight defeat.

Archibald had demanded a reaction following an "unacceptable" display in Saturday's 5-1 defeat at Kilmarnock, and he got one.

Spittal made the most of the first opportunity in the 16th minute when Carl McHugh was adjudged to have fouled Storey on the corner of the box.

Motherwell goalkeeper Russell Griffiths took a step to his right but Spittal went the other way and the ball flew into the roof of the net.

Thistle doubled their lead six minutes later after Charles Dunne failed to cut out a ball down the left side of Motherwell's defence.

Storey played in Edwards, who fired high past Griffiths.

Conor Sammon scored his first goal of the season - in his 15th outing - to put Thistle 3-0 up

The visitors again presented Thistle with another goal after 28 minutes later when McHugh was robbed by Storey in the right-back position and he flicked the ball inside for Sammon, the on-loan Hearts striker slotting into the corner for his first goal for the club.

Wing-back Frear was Motherwell's one bright spark in the first half and he set up Dunne with a cross but the defender's header bounced wide.

Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson introduced Gael Bigirimana and Tanner at half-time and the second half produced a different story.

Bowman headed well wide from a good chance before Cedric Kipre headed home Tanner's free-kick.

But the goal was belatedly disallowed by referee Don Robertson after a chat with assistant referee Gary Hilland, who had not flagged. Dunne was penalised for offside after moving towards the goal-bound ball.

Elliott Frear might have snatched a late equaliser but his header was saved

Motherwell had their goal moments later when Cerny could not stop Bowman's header bouncing behind the line after Tanner's 56th-minute corner.

They continued to threaten from crosses and corners but Thistle weathered the storm.

Tanner reignited the game with 11 minutes left when he shimmied past two defenders and drilled home from 18 yards.

Storey curled just over on a breakaway but the Jags otherwise struggled to get out of their half, Cerny securing the points when he held Frear's stoppage-time header.

Post-match reaction:

Thistle boss Alan Archibald: "I was delighted with the first-half performance, we got the reaction we were looking for.

"We went a bit more direct and it worked. We had real energy and drive, and Martin Woods was key to that. Him going off probably didn't help.

"We knew what was coming in the second half; Motherwell have done that a couple of times this season. The boys were well warned, but they didn't get out the blocks.

"But I am delighted to get the win and the three points. It gets us back within touching distance with a chance of a real six-pointer at Dundee (on Saturday) now."

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: "If you make individual errors like we did in the first half, you are going to lose football matches, it is as simple as that.

"How the free-kick goes in for the first goal, I have got no idea. The second goal, we have good possession and give it away. The third one, Carl [McHugh] gets knocked off the ball.

"Bar Elliott Frear and the forwards, I could have taken them all off at half-time.

"We showed character in the second half and had goals disallowed, but if you give a team a 3-0 start, you are always going to be up against it."