The Thistle Archive

Media report

02-Oct-2010, ptfc.co.uk

There have been some difficult times for Thistle at times this season but this afternoon in he first of a Ross County double header Thistle collected a much needed a very much deserved three points. The Thistle side for this fixture showed three changes from the team that lost at home to Dunfermline the week before. Alan Archibald, Paul Cairney and Martin Grehan all coming in for ths game.

As they did against Dunfermline, Thistle started this game on the front foot and won a couple of corners in the opening few minutes and came close to grabbing a lead inside the first 10 minutes. Iain Flannigan delivered a cross from wide on the right but although Kris Doolan was able to get on the end of the cross he couldn’t direct his shot on target. Thistle though did manage to score an early goal. Good play from Kris Doolan earned Thistle a corner and when McGovern wasn’t able to gather Flannigan’s corner Paddy Boyle was on hand at the back post to knock the ball home for his second goal of the season. Thistle took great heart from that early goal and were unfortunate not to extend their lead just three minutes later. A Boyle cut back following his run deep into the County box was cleared for a Thistle corner. County were only able to partially clear that corner and when the ball broke invitingly into the path of John Robertson he was unfortunate to see his shot blocked for another corner. As the half wore on County began to enjoy greater possession of the ball but with the Thistle defence looking well organised and in no compromising mood they were unable to do little with the ball. A Scott Morrison free kick in a dangerous position just out the Thistle box struck the defensive wall in the 35th minute before three minutes later Halliwell had his first direct shot to save. Even then Morrison’s, admittedly well struck, shot was straight at him and required no more than a comfortable save.

The second half followed a similar pattern to that of the first 45 minutes with the home side dominant in terms of possession but unable to do anything meaningful with it. Only a long range free kick from Scott Morrison that just went wide with Halliwell diving full length really causing any genuine anxiety. Thistle on the other end, although having far less of the ball, looked a potent threat coming forward. In the 57th minute Martin Grehan was able to gather a Paddy Boyle throw before shooting wide of goal with McGovern scrambling. Martin Grehan was getting through a power of work up front alongside an equally hard working Kris Doolan, and he nearly gave Thistle some breathing space in the 71st minute. Paul Paton played the ball in from the right hand side and although Grehan turned sharply to give himself a clear look at goal he couldn’t keep his final shot down. Grehan turned provider in the 79th minute with a great ball to substitute Liam Buchanan. Buchanan, however, wasn’t able to get clear of Scott Boyd though he did manage a shot from the edge of the box that McGovern was able to block. Paul Cairney was next to test the County keeper with an effort that McGovern needed two attempts to grab hold of. With 7 minutes of the game remaining Thistle did have the second goal that made the points safe. A swift counter attack gave Iain Flannigan a chance and although his shot struck a County defender it broke nicely into the path of Chris Erskine who slammed the ball low into the net.

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