Dundee finally got their first Development League win of the season at the sixth attempt against a workmanlike Partick Thistle outfit.

Conditions were poor, with a sodden surface not helping the players’ footing and the first half was something of a non-event. Only two top class saves from Dens keeper Kyle Gourlay brightened the gloom that enveloped Links Park, Montrose.

Although Partick enjoyed the better of the first half, on-loan striker Rhys Healey was causing them a number of problems with his skill and unselfish running and he was to prove a pivotal figure in the second period.

Dundee, who had lost Darryll Meggatt in the warm-up, then had to replace Matty Allan with Kerr Waddell at the start of the second half and Waddell almost opened the scoring for the Dens men when his effort was booted off the line by a Thistle defender.

Minutes later there was action at both ends as Gourlay had to look lively to push a deflected shot away for a corner. The corner was cleared and Healey broke upfield before passing to Josh Skelly, whose shot was blocked.

John Black was brought on to replace Ryan Gemmell on 63 minutes and, two minutes later, the Dark Blues opened the scoring.

Healey was brought down on the edge of the Partick box and the front man took the free kick himself and smashed the ball into the top corner, giving Thistle keeper Mark Waters no chance.

The Firhill side hit back and almost equalised right away, but, after they had hit the post Sam Dryden was on hand to clear the ball off the goalline.

Dundee went further ahead on 73 minutes. Kyle Clark played the ball up the wing to Jesse Curran who raced to the byline. Waters could only parry his effort out to Skelly who fired home from close range.

Healey and John Black then combined down the right hand side to send a teasing ball across the face of the Partick goal but the inrushing Clark couldn’t connect.

The visitors almost grabbed a lifeline when Gourlay’s attempted clearance hit the inrushing Kevin Nisbet, but, much to the keeper’s relief, the ball sailed harmlessly over.

Five minutes from time it was 3-0. Healey was brought down in the Partick box by Dominic Docherty and the striker stepped up to crash the penalty home off the underside of the bar.

Thistle grabbed a consolation just a minute later when Matthew McInally lashed the ball home after the home side had failed to clear a corner kick.

FT: Dundee 3 Partick Th 1

Dundee: Gourlay, A Black, Dryden, M Allan (Waddell 46), Priest, Curran, Colquhoun, Gemmell (J Black 63), Clark, Healey, Skelly. Subs not used: C Allan, Warwick, Gibb, Shaw.

Report: Jim Davie.