The Thistle Archive

Media report

31-Jul-2010, ptfc.co.uk

Manager Ian McCall made just one change to the side that started the season with a win against Clyde. Midweek signing Iain Flannigan came in to make his Jags’ debut with Kris Doolan the unlucky man to miss out.

It was Annan, in front of a large and noisy Thistle support, that got this game under way and kicking down the not inconsiderable Galabank slope immediately pinged the ball high and deep at the Thistle defence. It wasn’t, however, a prelude to an early Annan assault on the Thistle goal as the Jags quickly settled and had the home defence under pressure. As early as the fifth minute Thistle were a shade unfortunate not to open the scoring. An Iain Flannigan corner on the right hand side reached Simon Donnelly who set up David Rowson who was denied a goal by a fine save from the Annan custodian Summersgill. Thistle continued to do the early pressing and Bryan Hodge was off target with a shot from fully 25 yards out. Annan, however, after having avoided the loss of an early goal began to assert some pressure of their own and a deflected cross from the experienced Ian Harty caused temporary anxiety in the Thistle defence before the ball was cleared. A minute later when Gilfillan lashed a shot over the bar after Thistle had struggled to clear a corner it was obvious that Thistle had no easy passage into the next round. They were though by far and away the more likely side to score but the Annan defence was proving stubborn to break down. In the 26th minute a Thistle goal did look likely. Liam Buchahan pushed the ball out wide to Iain Flannigan but an Annan defender was across quickly to block Flannigan’s shot just as it looked as if he would mark his debut with a goal. Paddy Boyle was looking impressive down the left hand side and after he and Simon Donnelly had combined he tested Summersgill with a low shot that the Annan keeper got his body behind. The longer Thistle went without making the breakthrough the greater the sense of frustration and with half-time fast approaching Thistle twice came close to scoring the goal that would see them take a well-deserved half-time advantage. Ryan MacBeth’s speculative effort from 20 yards out wasn’t too far off target and David Rowson saw a header from a Flannigan cross loop over rather than under the bar.

The opening exchanges of the second half followed the pattern of the first with Thistle dominating in terms of possession but unable to translate that domination into chances let alone goals. Iain Flannigan did manage to pick out Liam Buchanan with a cross but Buchanan’s header lacked power and Summersgill made an easy save. With an hour played and Thistle frustration growing there was a reminder that a 0-0 just one moment in front of the Thistle goal that a game that was already a struggle could get even more difficult. Ian Harty knocked the ball onto Pat Walker whose shot was on the rise and just cleared the bar. There was a touch of controversy in the 64th minute when Liam Buchanan, after collecting a through ball, was fouled at the very edge of the Annan box by keeper Summersgill. The colour of the card shown to the Annan keeper was yellow and the opportunity was wasted when Iain Flannigan sent the free kick tamely into the Annan wall. With Thistle looking likely to accept a goal from any source they nearly had one in the 72nd minute in most unlikely fashion. An Iain Flannigan corner slipped from the grasp of Summersgill with the loose ball swiftly hacked clear from near the Annan goal line. With ten minutes remaining Thistle were a whisker away from breaking the deadlock. Liam Buchanan did well to work the ball out to Paul Cairney who saw his shot crash off the underside of the Annan bar and bounce clear. Three minutes later Thistle did finally have a goal. Thistle were able to keep pressure on the Annan goal after a corner was cleared and when Chris Erskine slipped the ball through to Simon Donnelly he fired past Summersgill and into the net. The game, however, wasn’t quite won yet. A poor Bryn Halliwell clearance put the Thistle defence under unnecessary pressure and there was a sigh of relief when Jack’s shot was deflected wide for a corner. At the other end Liam Buchanan missed a chance to remove any doubt over the Thistle victory but his shot from the edge of the box right on the 90 minute mark was just too high.

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