The Thistle Archive

Media report

10-Aug-2002, bbc.com

JAGS AND WELL ALL SQUARE. Partick Thistle scored the first goal of their new SPL adventure but the promoted side had to be content with a share of the points in a dull match at Fir Park. Former Mothwerwell man Alex Burns put the Jags ahead but Stephen Pearson levelled the scores soon after. Both goals came late in a game which was disjointed as a result of errant passing and petty fouls.

It was the away side who had first strike on goal after only 20 seconds but Thistle defender James McKinstry's volley from outside the box went high over the crossbar. The Firhill men took the game to their opponents forcing the home side to concede a series of fouls in order to stem the tide. Scott McLean's leg injury flared up again and he was substituted for the second week in a row, being replaced by Gerry Britton. Neither keeper had to make a serious save and the referee's whistle regularly punctuated proceedings with nasty tackles littering the game. Motherwell's young defender Dougie Ramsay tried his luck in the 36th minute from 30 yards but the ball screamed a yard over the Thistle bar. Three minutes from the break Well's Jamie McFadden came to life for the first time, bringing out a great save from Kevin Budinauckas with a tremendous free-kick from 25 yards.

The crowd were looking forward to an improvement after the break but although both sides began at a cracking pace, Alan Archibald's wild drive over the bar from 20 yards suggested it would be a long wait for a goal. There was moment of panic in the 55th minute when Derek Whyte nearly put through his own goal. But Budinauckas moved smartly to spare the veteran defender's blushes. In the closing stages both sides went hell for leather for the breakthrough - and there was little thought behind the attacks. The visitors looked slightly more likely to snatch a goal which they did in the 82nd minute when Burns nodded in from close range after Martin Hardie had headed a McKinstry cross across the goalmouth. Two minutes later, Motherwell youngster Pearson equalised, heading in a McFadden cross from six yards out.

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