A late brace from Mark Reynolds helped Cove Rangers come from behind to snatch a surprise point against Partick Thistle.
Goals from Steven Lawless and Stuart Bannigan had Thistle two clear, before Reynolds’ deflected shot gave Cove a late lifeline.
There was further drama to come as Reynolds was on hand again to deliver a draw for Jim McIntyre’s side.
Had it not been for goalkeeper Kyle Gourlay they could have been well out of sight before the end but the point, despite victory for Arbroath at Morton, keeps the Aberdeen side off the foot of the table.
Cove brought Jamie Masson into the starting line-up, while Evan Towler returned to the side after a spell out with illness. Iain Vigurs and Cieran Dunne dropped to the bench, alongside new arrivals Kyle McClelland and Max Johnston.
It took less than 40 seconds for the home side to threaten, with Scott Tiffoney working space for himself before seeing his shot saved by the feet of Kyle Gourlay.
As if Cove needed any reminding of Harry Milne’s qualities, given he was instrumental in the club’s run to the League One title last season, the Thistle full-back flashed a brilliant ball across the face of goal that would only have required a touch for the opener.
The Jags needed little encouragement to create chances but Cove were giving them some. Scott Ross cleared Jack McMillan’s cross straight to Brian Graham but he connected poorly with the shot, dragging it away from goal and even a lunge from Tiffoney could not divert it on target.
A cross-shot from Fraser Fyvie was diverted away from goal by David Mitchell but Gourlay was required again to deny Graham one-on-one.
But they were not to be denied for too much longer as Lawless put them ahead after 17 minutes, with a long-range strike which went in off the crossbar.
Cove had periods where they moved the ball well, with Fyvie a growing influence in the middle of the park, but at the back they were still prone to lapses. McMillan was allowed to run free of his marker and his shot had to be kicked away at his near post by Gourlay.
The visiting stopper was arguably the busiest man on the park in the first period and he was off his line sharply once more, this time to prevent Tiffoney making it two.
Cove were forced into a change at half-time with Ross going off, having gone down unattended towards the end of the first-half. McClelland came on for his debut.
However the visitors were soon two behind, with a cross to the back post picking out Bannigan and he sent the ball back where it came from into the bottom corner.
Graham had a chance to make it three but could not turn Kyle Turner’s free-kick on target and McIntyre’s were mustering little in response, with Fyvie sending a header over the top from Luis Longstaff’s centre.
There was to be a twist in the tale and Cove were able to deliver a smash-and-grab raid for a point.
Both came from set-pieces Partick failed to clear – the first after Leighton McIntosh had kept play alive and Reynolds scrambled a deflected effort beyond David Mitchell.
Minutes later Reynolds was in the right place at the right time again, after Shay Logan’s corner was diverted to an unmarked Reynolds and he crashed in.
PARTICK THISTLE (4-4-1-1) – Mitchell 6; McMillan 6 (Hodson 71), Muirhead 6, Holt 6, Milne 7, Lawless 7, Docherty 6, Bannigan 7, Tiffoney 7 (Fitzpatrick 71), Turner 7, Graham 7 (Dowds 71). Subs not used – Sneddon, Brownlie, Smith, Weston, Akinola, Mullen.
COVE RANGERS (4-3-3) – Gourlay 7; Logan 6, Ross 5 (McClelland 46), Reynolds 7, Towler 5, Fyvie 6 (Yule 78), Gilmour 6, Scully 6, Leitch 5 (McIntosh 62), Megginson 5, Masson 6 (Longstaff 62). Subs not used – McKenzie, Neill, Vigurs, Dunne, Johnston.
Referee – Calum Scott 5.
Attendance – 2,918.
Player of the match – Steven Lawless.