The Thistle Archive

Media report

HARTLEY FORCES PARTICK TO FACE STARK'S REALITY. THE fretful times continue at Firhill. The Thistle faithful have endured some wretched bullets of information emanating from this place all season, and yesterday's defeat against ten-man Raith Rovers was another unpleasant piece of news that will have splintered a few hearts around Maryhill. They have a reputation for being romantics these Thistle fans and you imagine they will need to lose themselves in clouds of reverie if they are to envisage a happy ending to a tortuous season. “Dancing with tears in my eyes,” was a line from a song played as the crowd rumbled out after yesterday's game. It seemed an appropriate piece, especially after an enchanting performance from Raith Rovers' groovy-mover Paul Hartley.

We have been told all season that a healthy spirit remains at Thistle, but, however deep the reserve, it still cannot make up for the obvious shortfall in talent. The side manager John McVeigh sent out yesterday seemed sorely in need of inspiration. Even Chic Charnley, playing his last game of the season before another shot of suspension duty, looked leaden-footed. McVeigh has only 13 players left available to help save the club from relegation. He included a trialist, Colin McKee, against Rovers, but he was replaced before half-time, and hardly looked a fellow capable of spinning the miracles required. This is the time of year when folk start catching the words “relegation haunted” to clubs scratching around in the gutters of their division. Having played a game more than their relegation rivals, Thistle may spend the next week being pursued by a fearful tribe of spectres, all taunting them with talk of visits to second division outposts. Certainly, it will take a mighty resurrection of fortune if they are to escape the trapdoor come the end of the season. Raith, though, will have been a happy lot after a win that keeps them on course for second spot in the League and the little pot of money that guarantees. They may need to offer all of it to Hartley, their two-goal match-winner, in the hope that he stays on at the club. Yesterday he provided us with some more delicious snapshots of tricks he's been displaying all season. His winning goal was especially memorable. Having latched on to a booted ball into the Thistle half, Hartley gently lobbed goalkeeper Kenny Arthur before cutting back inside and beating him again. Finally, after what seemed an age, he drilled the ball past a raft of fretting defenders. “I was just trying to get the ball on to my right foot because I'm not too confident with my left,” he said modestly afterwards. Having gone behind in the first half when Hartley drove home an Andy Walker pass, Thistle rallied to get back into the game. They equalised four minutes after the interval when Raith defender Marvin Andrews hauled down substitute Martin Lauchlan and was sent off for his troubles. Jered Stirling dispatched the penalty, but the goal never inspired Thistle to take the game to ten-man Raith. “We didn't show any bottle in the second half,” said McVeigh.

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