DUNDEE'S move to the top of the table following their 2-1 win over Raith Rovers at Dens Park marked the sixth consecutive weekend that the lead in the First Division has changed hands.
All the goals came in the first, half, with Colin McMenamin volleying Dundee ahead after a quarter of an hour before injury-hit Rovers replied five minutes later through Darren Smith.
Defender Gary McKenzie supplied what proved to be the winner w
hen he back-heeled his first goal in 18 months.
Rovers made Dundee battle for the points, but found goalkeeper Tony Bullock once again in inspired form.
Dundee manager Jocky Scott, whose side host Rangers in the CIS Cup tomorrow, said: "We're top of the table, but we should be showing more than we are. We have to make sure that if we get ahead we don't end up hanging on."
Ross County and Partick Thistle shared four goals in a 2-2 draw at Dingwall. After Thistle's Liam Buchanan passed up a number of opportunities, County's Michael Gardyne showed him how it should be done by firing home from 25 yards five minutes from half time. However, County's Martin Scott was dismissed for picking up a second yellow 12 minutes into the second half and Thistle's Chris Erskine equalised two minutes after coming on.
County made light of their numerical disadvantage, however, with Paul Lawson putting them ahead again, only for Buchanan to avoid being replaced by Kris Doolan by finally finding the net.
County manager Derek Adams said: "We created so many chances I thought we were the only team that could win. I'm disappointed at the sending off. The referee seemed to apply his rules differently when other players tackled."
Thistle manager Ian McCall saw things rather differently, and said: "I felt that we merited all three points. How we were 1-0 down I don't know."
Queen of the South kept pace with the pack following a 3-0 win at Palmerston Park over bottom side Airdrie United. Defender David Lilley marked his century of appearances for the home side by kneeing in the opening goal in 27 minutes, with Stewart Kean scoring from a rebound to make it two before half time. Dennis Wyness headed in the third seven minutes from time.
All is not lost for Airdrie at the foot of the table, however, as second bottom Ayr United suffered a demoralising 5-1 defeat at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who have the best record on the road in the league. Richie Foran scored twice in the first half, with Adam Rooney and Dougie Imrie also netting. Mark Roberts had briefly drawn Ayr level, but Foran extended the winning margin by completing his hat-trick in the second half.
Dunfermline won at home for the second league game in a row, seeing off Morton 3-1 with all the goals coming in the second half. Joe Cardle heading in the opener just after the hour mark and David Graham took advantage of a mistake by Stewart Greacen to make it two, only for the visitors to pull one back through Ryan McGuffie. However, Steven Bell finished off a neat move to secure victory.
