The Thistle Archive

matches:2019-20: ← 30game 3132 →

55y, 3m, 12d	Ian McCall	Robbie Neilson

Tam O'Ware; Dario Zanatta
Sean McGinty; Craig Slater

Kenny Miller (1-4, 87 mins)‎		Lawrence Shankland (0-1, 38 mins); Adrián Sporle (0-2, 45‎ mins)‎; Lawrence Shankland (0-3, 60 mins); Lawrence Shankland (0-4, 65 mins)‎
none (1-4, 87 mins)‎		Nicky Clark (0-1, 38 mins); Declan Glass (0-2, 45‎ mins)‎; Adrián Sporle (0-3, 60 mins); Peter Pawlett (0-4, 65 mins)‎
Steven Saunders		Lawrence Shankland

Alex Jones (Tommy Robson, HT); Joe Cardle (Mitch Austin, 62 mins); Ryan Williamson (Sean McGinty, 68 mins)		Paul Watson (Peter Pawlett, 65 mins); Declan Glass (Chris Mochrie, 74 mins); Nicky Clark (Adam King, 77 mins)

32y, 6m, 14d	Scott Fox	Benjamin Siegrist
23y, 9m, 28d	Ryan Williamson	Mark Connolly
21y, 0m, 20d	James Penrice	Mark Reynolds
26y, 9m, 22d	Tam O'Ware	Paul Watson
28y, 9m, 12d	Steven Saunders	Liam Smith
27y, 3m, 25d	Stuart Bannigan	Adrián Sporle
32y, 11m, 4d	Joe Cardle	Dillon Powers
21y, 10m, 25d	Reece Cole	Declan Glass
40y, 0m, 19d	Kenny Miller	Nicky Clark
25y, 3m, 14d	Alex Jones	Lawrence Shankland
22y, 7m, 18d	Dario Zanatta	Louis Appéré

27y, 6m, 22d

22y, 4m, 5d	Jamie Sneddon	Deniz Mehmet
26y, 5m, 0d	Sean McGinty	Peter Pawlett
35y, 0m, 9d	Gary Harkins	Osman Sow
24y, 4m, 0d	Tommy Robson	Sam Stanton
25y, 8m, 16d	Craig Slater	Kieran Freeman
22y, 3m, 22d	Lewis Mansell	Adam King
28y, 9m, 8d	Mitch Austin	Chris Mochrie

	Teamlines derived from PTFC / SPFL. Both sides generally in playing order.
	4101 (SPFL)

United went 17 points clear at the top. It might have been different had Miller and Zanatta scored while Thistle were the better team. Shocking defending led to a header (38) and United slipped into top gear. The defence was torn open for a tap-in (45). Goals came all to easily (60 and 65) then Miller scored from close in (87).

Lawrence Shankland scored a hat trick as a ruthless Dundee United beat Partick Thistle to move 17 points clear in the Scottish Championship. Shankland, who had failed to net in two games, headed United in front after 39 minutes and Adrian Sporle doubled the lead before the break. The striker then netted twice after the break to take his season's tally to 24. Veteran striker Kenny Miller netted late on for Thistle, but that could not prevent them slipping to ninth.

Ian McCall will perhaps feel aggrieved at the outcome, given that his side arguably had the better of it before Shankland's opener. However, the victory was a 11th in 12 games for United, who took advantage of call offs elsewhere to move further ahead. Shankland scored a perfect hat trick - adding a finish with each foot to his first-half glancing header - and youngster Declan Glass also caught the eye for Robbie Neilson's side. One disappointing note was the loss of Nicky Clark to injury, the striker being helped off with 13 minutes remaining with a leg problem.

Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall:

For the first half hour, that was the best we've played. We picked a really attacking team and thought we could get at them down the wing, and we did. We certainly should've been a goal ahead, maybe two goals ahead. They coasted the second half, we didn't play well at all in the second half.

Dundee United head coach Robbie Neilson:

I thought the first 25 minutes, we weren't really in the game. Once we got a wee bit of composure, passed it, and got Dylan Powers on the ball we took control. We're delighted for Lawrence but today was a wee bit marred by the injury to Nicky Clark. He'll get x-rayed tonight and we'll hope it's not too bad.

Jane Lewis, 11-Jan-2020, bbc.com

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