The Thistle Archive

Media report

07-May-2011, ptfc.co.uk

The final game of the season provided young goalkeeper Ryan Scully, highly rated by the coaching staff at Firhill, the opportunity to make his first team debut. There were two other changes from the side that had lost 3-2 at Dens Park. Willie Kinniburgh was suspended while a combination of injury and illness kept Martin Grehan out of the side. In their place came in David Rowson, now free from suspension, and Iain Flannigan.

Thistle made a positive start to this game and were close to an opening goal in the 5th minute. Chris Erskine’s purposeful run took him into the Rovers box with his final shot only just too high. Neither side were treating this game as an end of season stroll in the park and Thistle were close to taking the lead in the 21st minute. Iain Flannigan was able to cut into the box from the left hand side and his cross was headed over by Kris Doolan. A minute later the Rovers keeper was required to make a save. Again Doolan was the Thistle player to have the effort on goal, this time a shot, but there was no real power in his shot and McGurn was able to make a comfortable save. The Thistle goal hadn’t been under any serious threat but in the 30th minute a Tade header just slipped past Ryan Scully’s left hand post. With half-time just four minutes away Rovers were close to taking the lead. Conrad Balatoni was penalised for a foul, much to the players annoyance, on the edge of the Thistle box and Kevin McBride’s free kick that followed was about a foot wide with Scully scrambling to reach it. McGurn was the keeper in action a short time later firstly doing well to turn a Stewart shot from 30 yards out round the post before being well placed to hold a low shot from Kris Doolan.

First chance of the second half came Rovers way in the 48th minute. Ryan Scully clearance was gathered by Iain Williamson some 40 yards from his goal but his chip, with Scully still off his line, was wide of target. Thistle though were in front in the 50th with the scorer for the second week in a row Tommy Stewart. Stewart did well to create the shooting opportunity for himself at the edge of the box with his well struck shot destined for the net the second it left his foot. Thistle might even have had a second goal just a few minutes later with an Iain Flannigan free kick deflected for a corner after Tommy Stewart had been fouled just a few yards outside the Rovers box. Tommy Stewart was proving to be a real threat to the Rovers goal and he was unlucky not to net a second goal of the afternoon in the 66th minute with McGurn getting down low to save from Stewart after he had combined well with Kris Doolan. Thistle would have had a second goal in the 68th minute but for a tremendous intervention for David McGurn who produced a fantastic instinctice save low to his left to stop what looked a certain goal from Conrad Balatoni. The Thistle player acknowledging the quality of the Raith Rovers’ keeper save. The chances were coming at regular intervals for Thistle point and Paddy Boyle was close when he side footed an Iain Flannigan wide of goal. We did, however, have a second Thistle goal in the 77th minute. David Rowson’s route to goal was illegally blocked by a Rovers defender and referee Smith, in his very last match pointed to the spot. Kris Doolan, chasing the title of the First Division’s leading scorer, was the man entrusted with the kick and he made no mistake for his 18th goal of a highly productive season for the striker. There was still time for Thistle to score a third. Shaun Fraser has just struck the post when David Rowson’s shot from 25 yards out flew out for a possible candidate for goal of the season and certainly a wonderfully received goal.

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