Partick Thistle host Raith Rovers at Firhill on Friday evening in Scottish Championship action. The sides met a little over a month ago in what was to be Partick Thistle manager Doolan's final game at the club, as Thistle went down 3-0 in Fife in an abject performance. Caretaker manager Graham has gone unbeaten in his four matches since then, and has won 2-0 against Queen's Park and Ayr in his last two matches. Raith have had mixed fortunes since this battering of Thistle, with expected wins over Hamilton and rivals Dunfermline, alongside a disappointing 1-0 loss to bottom side Airdrie and a 4-0 thrashing by Queen's Park.

The change in manager at Thistle has seen the return of their strong defensive performances. Thistle have conceded just 0.5 goals per game in the 4 since Graham took charge, conceding an an average of 1.11 xG per game across these matches. Thistle have scored 1.5 goals per game across these four, hitting the net at least once in each match. They have achieved this from an average xG of 1.29.

Raith's 5 matches since their 3-0 win over Thistle have seen them concede at a rate of 1 goal per game, scoring 0.8 goals per game. They have won 2-0 against the two poorest sides in the division currently in Hamilton and Dunfermline, meaning they drew a blank against Livi away, Queen's Park at home and Airdrie away. Their performance away at bottom side Airdrie was particularly drab, as they carried very little attacking threat at all. In these 5 matches, Raith have achieved 1.21 xG per game, conceding 1.16 xG on average. While it appears the sides have very similar chance creation and goals metrics over recent matches, Raith's two victories have come against sides who look destined for a relegation battle. The point at Livingston is their only result across their last 5 that was perhaps better than expected, although Livi are themselves now on a 4 game winless streak and appear to be fading in the title challenge.

Raith's away form has plagued them all season. They sit in 4th bottom in the away league table, scoring just 8 goals in their 13 matches, and 3 of these came in a victory over crisis ridden Hamilton. Only local rivals Dunfermline have scored fewer (7) away goals than Raith this season. Thistle have been solid at home this campaign, tasting defeat just once in 15 matches in an inexplicable 4-1 defeat to strugglers Dunfermline. Thistle have conceded just 13 goals in their 15 home matches, and enjoy a home goal difference of +10. Raith's away goal difference sits at a grim -13.

Partick Thistle will be looking to exact revenge on a Raith side who ran out 3-0 winners in Fife last time the sides met. Given the uptick in Partick Thistle's form running into the business end of the season and the big performance difference in Thistle's home and Raith's away games, there looks to be good value in backing Partick Thistle's Asian handicap line on Friday evening. Thistle have lost just once on home turf in the league this season and will be looking to keep up their home form to seal their position in the promotion playoff spots ahead of the chasing pack.

Best odds can be found at Bet365.