The Thistle Archive

Media report

02-Aug-2008, ptfc.co.uk

After victory against Queens Park in the Challenge Cup seven days ago Ian McCall selected the same starting eleven as the league season started with a visit from Dunfermline Athletic. The only change coming on the bench where Stephen McKeown replaced Ryan McStay.

It was to Thistle that the first chance fell to. Mark Roberts turned sharply at the edge of the Dunfermline box before sending a shot just a matter of inches over Paul Gallacher's bar. Damon Gray tried his luck from 25 yards in the 8th minute and while his shot wasn't too far off target he may have been better passing to Scott Chaplain who wasn't slow in letting Gray know that he felt that a pass to him would have been the better option. Thistle were within a whisker of taking the lead in the 15th minute. Marc Twaddle was able to get his head to a Paul Paton corner and was only denied a goal by a desperate goal line clearance. Thistle were beginning to really impress the Thistle fans in the 3,092 crowd at this point and Mark Roberts very nearly played in Scott Chaplain the Thistle midfielder just unable to gather the ball. Dunfermline had offered little up till this point but came close to opening the scoring in the 21st minute. Austin McCall enjoyed the break of the ball in the Thistle box with Thistle grateful that his shot was straight into the body of Jonny Tuffey. Last season Paul Gallacher had stood between Thistle and a victory and he produced a fine save in the 26th minute of Thistle match to keep out a shot from Gary Harkins who had latched onto a pass from Paul Paton. Some excellent approach play from Mark Roberts presented Scott Chaplain, who kept on chasing what others might have considered a lost cause, with an opportunity but he found the angle just a little too tight. Thistle deserved to be in the lead at this point and again came close in the 31st minute. Damon Gray set up Mark Roberts who saw his effort hooked away close to the Dunfermline goal line. Thistle were forced into a change in the 35th when the impressive Mark Roberts was replaced by Simon Donnelly. After being second best for much of the first half Dunfermline really should have taken a 36th minute lead. With just about everyone inside the ground expecting to see the ball land in the back of the Thistle net Iain Williamson saw his effort from close range strike the frame of the Thistle goal. Dunfermline started to pose more of a threat at this point but Thistle were nearly in front on the stroke of half-time. Damon Gray was able to whip over a cross from the Thistle left and Simon Donnelly's header that looked set for the back of the net slipped just the wrong side of the post.

The first incident of note of the second half saw loud Thistle appeals for a penalty after handball following a Simon Donnelly cross in the 53rd minute. A dipping Scott Chaplain needed a touch over the bar from Gallacher in the 55th minute as Thistle continued to press for an opening goal and from the corner that followed John Robertson saw his header cleared off the line. With the follow up shot saved by the Dunfermline keeper who was again in impressive form on a visit to Firhill. In the 70th minute Dunfermline struck the frame of the Thistle goal for the second time when Graham Bayne saw his header from a Harper cross strike the post. With the game going into the closing stages it was looking more and more likely than one goal would win the match and Marc Twaddle, after collecting a pass from Simon Donnelly, was unfortunate to see his shot rise a little too much. In the 85th minute the Thistle frame was struck for a third time when a header from Glass struck the post with Tuffey rooted to the spot. A goal did follow 2 minutes later and it was a goal for The Jags. A Paul Paton free kick was only cleared as far as sub Stephen McKeown who from 20 yards out drilled a shot low into the corner of the Dunfermline net. We had nearly 4 minutes of injury time before Thistle could celebrate their first 3 points of the season.

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