Ayr pulled clear of fellow strugglers Inverness as they claimed a 2-1 win in the cinch Championship relegation battle.

The visitors got off to a flying start when George Stanger headed in a Harry McHugh cross in the fifth minute.

Inverness, who remain second from bottom, responded well and, after James Carragher had sent a header inches wide from a free-kick, they levelled in first-half stoppage time when Billy McKay scored from the penalty spot.

Ayr regained the lead just after the hour mark through Fraser Bryden’s close-range finish from Anton Dowds’ pass.

Cammy Kerr fired wide for Caley Thistle, while at the other end Mark Ridgers pulled off a decent save to prevent Jamie Murphy from sealing the points for Ayr.

Partick Thistle got their play-off bid back on track as they ended a run of eight cinch Championship games without a win with a 2-1 victory at home to Morton.

A first-half goal from Brian Graham and Scott Robinson’s second-half strike moved the third-placed hosts six points clear of their opponents, who dropped out of the top four.

Graham, the 36-year-old striker playing against the club with whom he began his career, had already warmed the palms of visiting goalkeeper Ryan Mullen when he struck after 28 minutes, receiving the ball before firing a low shot into the corner from long range.

Partick goalkeeper David Mitchell saved a Robbie Muirhead effort at the start of the second half.

But Robinson doubled the hosts lead in the 52nd minute, adding the finishing touch to Jack McMillan’s low cross.

Morton pulled a goal back deep into added time when Muirhead headed home from close range, but it was too little too late.

Leaders Dundee United suffered a 3-1 defeat away to Dunfermline to leave the door open at the top of the cinch Championship table.

Matty Todd opened the scoring 11 minutes in, slotting home a cross from Kane Ritchie-Hosler’s cross, and the roles were reversed eight minutes before the break when Ritchie-Hosler was on hand to tuck home the rebound after Todd’s shot was deflected.

Louis Moult spurned a superb chance to get United back into the game six minutes into the second half, firing wide of Deniz Mehmet’s goal, and Ritchie-Hosler soon made him pay with his second of the night after linking up with Alex Jakubiak.

United did pull a goal back late on when Glenn Middleton’s deflected cross rolled over the line, but defeat means Raith Rovers could go top with a win when they visit Queen’s Park on Saturday.

Euan Murray headed the only goal as Raith Rovers moved within a point of cinch Championship leaders Dundee United with a 1-0 win at Partick Thistle.

Murray nodded home a Kyle Turner free-kick after 33 minutes at Firhill, stunning Thistle after a confident start by the home side.

Kerr McInroy, Scott Robinson and Brian Graham had all forced saves from goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski in the early stages.

Aidan Connolly threatened a second for Raith after the break when he shot over but Partick almost grabbed a late equaliser when Graham’s header clipped the top of the bar.

Partick Thistle came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at Queen’s Park in the cinch Championship.

Queen’s Park took the lead in the 38th minute when Cillian Sheridan headed home Louis Longridge’s cross.

The hosts doubled their lead seven minutes after the break as Sheridan turned provider to lay the ball off for Ruari Paton, who converted through the goalkeeper’s legs.

However, Partick Thistle came roaring back, with Tomi Adeloye converting at the back post after 64 minutes and Brian Graham levelling from the penalty spot five minutes later following a handball in the area.

Raith made club history with a record-breaking fifth successive win over Fife derby rivals Dunfermline.

Sam Stanton and Dylan Easton goals secured a 2-0 win at Stark’s Park as Raith got their promotion bid back on track following their painful 3-2 defeat to Arbroath last time out, where Rovers surrendered a 2-0 lead.

Raith, who remain four points behind cinch Championship leaders Dundee United but boast a game in hand, took the lead in the 38th minute when Stanton – with his fourth derby goal of the season – headed home the rebound after Deniz Mehmet had parried Lewis Vaughan’s free-kick.

Home goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski prevented Ewan Otoo from levelling at the start of the second half and Raith wrapped up the points with 12 minutes to go when Easton fired into the bottom corner following a quick free-kick.

Callum Smith had the chance to add a third deep into stoppage time after Stanton was brought down inside the area, but Mehmet saved the former Pars striker’s penalty.

Cinch Championship leaders Dundee United picked up another valuable win as they cruised to a 4-0 victory over Arbroath.

Kai Fotheringham got Jim Goodwin’s side off to a great start eight minutes in, forcing in a corner from close range.

Tony Watt made it two with 14 minutes on the clock, arrowing in from a corner.

Watt made it 12 goals for the season on the hour as Alex Grieve made picked up on a defensive slip and raced clear before laying one on a plate for Watt.

A fourth arrived four minutes later, Grieve netting his first goal for the club as he slid a finish under replacement keeper Max Boruc.

Rock-bottom Arbroath’s misery was compounded when Kyle Robinson received two yellows in quick succession late on.

Inverness and Airdrieonians drew 0-0 in their cinch Championship contest.

The visitors thought they had taken the lead in the 34th minute but Nicolay Todorov’s effort was disallowed.

Inverness came closest to breaking the deadlock in the second half when Billy Mckay’s header was cleared off the line by on-loan Hibernian defender Kanayo Megwa.

However, the game finished goalless and Inverness stay second from bottom in the table while Airdrieonians remain fifth.

Airdrie moved to within two points of the Scottish Championship play-off places with a 2-0 win at Dunfermline.

Nikolay Todorov opened the scoring against his former club in the 16th minute, heading in Adam Frizzell’s cross.

At the other end, Rhys McCabe cleared Miles Welch-Hayes’ header off the line and early in the second half, Dunfermline went close again when Paul Allan’s cross was deflected on to the post.

But Airdrie doubled their lead on the hour when Gabby McGill spun before hitting a shot into the top corner to seal the points.

Louis Moult’s first-half goal was enough for Dundee United to move four points clear at the top of the cinch Championship with a 1-0 win at Morton.

United had already seen Kevin Holt’s header clawed off the line by Morton goalkeeper Ryan Mullen when Moult put them ahead in the 26th minute, stabbing in Tony Watt’s cross at the back post.

Moult had another chance at the back post 11 minutes into the second half but this time he sliced his shot and Mullen was able to gather.

Morton had a late shout for a penalty when Michael Garrity beat two defenders to run into the box before going down, but nothing was given.

Louis Moult’s second-half equaliser earned cinch Championship leaders Dundee United an away point as Partick Thistle’s winless league run grew to six games in a 1-1 draw.

Thistle, whose last league victory came against Arbroath on January 6, led only three minutes in when Aidan Fitzpatrick’s corner was flicked on by Wasiri Williams before Brian Graham headed in.

Fitzpatrick then tested United goalkeeper Jack Walton as he tried to score directly from a corner, while at the other end David Mitchell made a fine save to keep out Scott McMann’s header.

But in the 67th minute Miller Thomson laid the ball off for Moult to fire in the equaliser, with late United shouts for a penalty turned down after McMann claimed he was being held in the box.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle boosted their Scottish Championship survival hopes with a 2-0 win away to Greenock Morton.

The visitors needed only two minutes to take the lead through Billy McKay, and Sean McAllister’s free-kick doubled the lead in the 34th minute.

Morton’s Robbie Crawford sent a good chance narrowly wide moments later, and there was a flash point in the Inverness box at the end of the half, with Thistle’s Wallace Duffy and James Carragher booked along with Morton’s Tyler French.

McKay got his head on the end of Cammy Kerr’s second-half free-kick, but he was denied a second by Jamie MacDonald.

As a result of the win, Inverness are now just a point behind eighth-placed Queen’s Park.

Dunfermline moved away from immediate trouble in the congested bottom half of the Scottish Championship with a 2-0 win over Ayr.

Chris Hamilton had already seen one header bounce off the crossbar and over before he turned in Paul Allan’s corner to open the scoring in the 41st minute.

The hosts then doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time when Chris Kane scored his first goal for the club, robbing Ayr skipper Sean McGinty before finishing from inside the box.

Ayr saw Anton Dowds’ effort deflected narrowly wide at the start of the second half but rarely looked like getting back into the game.

Airdrieonians and Queen’s Park shared the points from a 1-1 draw that kept both sides looking over their shoulders in the bottom half of the Scottish Championship.

After Calum Ferrie had made a fine save to deny Gabby McGill, Queen’s Park took the lead as Ruari Paton closed down a short goal-kick and laid the ball off for Dom Thomas to apply the finish in the 13th minute.

Ferrie then made another save to keep out Liam McStravick’s volley, while at the other end Paton chested the ball on to the post.

The hosts drew level through Mason Hancock’s powerful long-range strike just after the hour, and they hung on as Paton headed wide with the goal gaping before Danny Sheridan saw his late header hit the base of the post.

Bottom side Arbroath came from two goals down to beat Raith 3-2 and prevent them from going top of the cinch Championship.

Rovers looked to be cruising after goals from Zak Rudden – a stunning finish with the outside of his boot from 20 yards – and Josh Mullin put them 2-0 up.

But substitute Jay Bird pulled one back for Arbroath just after the hour with a fine turn and shot.

Arbroath drew level when Kevin Dabrowski misjudged a high ball and Leighton McIntosh nipped in to score.

The hosts then won it when Mark Stowe collected Connor Teale’s miscued shot and slotted home with 13 minutes remaining.