The Thistle Archive

Media report

30-Sep-2011, ptfc.co.uk

It was a Friday night delight for Thistle as Firhill’s biggest league crowd of the season of 3,380 saw Thistle record a comprehensive victory over league leaders Morton. Manager Jackie McNamara had been happy with the performance, if not the result, against Livingston in the previous fixture and he made just one change to his starting eleven for this match. Chris Erskine dropped to the bench as Stephen O’Donnell made his first start in Thistle colours.

It proved be a dream start for O’Donnell, latching onto a through ball before drilling past Stewart and into the corner of the net with just two minutes of the game played. Morton’s response was instant with Scott Fox doing well to grab the ball from the feet of Peter MacDonald. Fox was again called into action in the 8th minute when he pushed out a shot from MacDonald. After having opened the scoring for Thistle, Stephen O’Donnell was at the heart of the move that so nearly gave Thistle a second goal. Christie Elliott dummied the ball allowing O’Donnell to make progress down the right and his magnificent cross right across the Morton goal deserved a touch that would surely have resulted in a goal. Morton had been looking dangerous but Thistle had a second goal in the 28th minute and once more Stephen O’Donnell was at the centre of things. His anticipation allowed him to intercept a Morton ball from defence and his inch perfect pass in behind the Morton defence picked out Kris Doolan who tucked the ball into the corner of the net. With Thistle two ahead, Morton were badly in need of a goal before half-time and when Fitzharris chipped over a free kick from the corner of the box, Andy Graham found a little room inside the Thistle box but his header was a weak one and Scott Fox wasn’t required to make a save. He wasn’t required to make a save either in the 43rd minute but Andy Jackson’s shot, unlike Graham’s header, was only just off target and Thistle were able to go in at half-time 2-0 ahead.

Just seconds into the second half and Morton had an opportunity to reduce the deficit. Peter MacDonald found himself with time and space at the edge of the Thistle box but he wasn’t able to get any real power into his shot and Scott Fox was able to hold MacDonald’s shot with a degree of comfort. There was further hope for Morton in the 51st minute when Kyle Hutton slipped on greasy surface attempting to clear the ball but Andy Jackson could only send his effort over the bar. Morton though were doing all the running in the early stages of the second half and Andy Graham came close with a header before Andy Jackson saw his effort disallowed for a fairly obvious offside. A third Thistle goal though would have gone a long way to settling the points and Christie Elliott wasn’t too far off target with a glancing header from a Paul Cairney cross. In the 67th minute former Thistle keeper Colin Stewart turned an O’Donnell shot round the post for a corner as Thistle searched for the goal that would likely clinch the points. With 14 minutes of the game remaining Thistle did take a huge step towards the three points. Andy Graham saw red when he handled the ball right on the edge of his own box when Tommy Stewart looked set to collect the ball. The free kick was touched into the path of Aaron Sinclair, Sinclair’s shot wasn’t cleanly struck but it was deflected into the path of a lurking Christie Elliott who made an efficient job of finding the net. He was close to a second goal, and a fourth for Thistle, just a couple of minutes later but this time Colin Stewart got enough of a touch to Elliot’s effort to take the ball round the post. With eight minutes remaining Thistle made it 4-0. Aaron Sinclair left the Morton full back for dead before whipping over a cross. Christie Elliott wasn’t able to convert Sinclair’s cross but Chris Erskine, after taking a touch to control the ball, did with a low drive. Both Chris Erskine and Paul Cairney were denied by Stewart as Thistle pressed for a fifth goal while the Thistle fans lapped up their team’s performance. And with two minutes remaining they had a fifth goal to celebrate. Substitute Tommy Stewart getting in on the act with a tidy and confident finish.

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