The Thistle Archive

Media report

09-Mar-2024, queensparkfc.co.uk

Queen's Park and Partick Thistle played out an exciting 2-2 draw at Hampden with the Spiders left with a feeling of what might have been. For the fifth meeting with the Jags this season Ben McPherson and Cillian Sheridan returned to the starting line-up with Louis Longridge and Jack Turner moving to the substitutes’ bench.

The Black and White Hoops kicked off cheered on by the fans, many who had participated in the ‘Everyone Move to the Right’ campaign, however it was the visitors who earned the first corner after 90 seconds when Tommy Robson headed behind however the ball was soon in Calum Ferrie’s safe hands. A lightning break saw Aidan Fitzpatrick curl a shot wide of Ferrie’s goal on five minutes however of greater concern to the hosts was an injury that McPherson picked up with Longridge coming on as a replacement after a two-minute delay. Thomas took the ball for a run along the right touchline on 11 minutes and sent over a low cross with no-one in Queen’s colours able to get on the end of it. Josh Scott was pulled up for a foul on Steven Lawless at the left-hand side of the home box on 14 minutes with the Thistle wide-man finding Brian Graham with the dead ball however referee Iain Sneddon blew for a foul. Thistle were denied the lead on 20 minutes thanks to a super diving stop from Ferrie who leapt to his left and turned a Harry Milne thunderbolt from 20 yards, which came after Thistle had worked the ball across the pitch, past.

Queen’s came close three minutes later when Danny Wilson’s flicked effort after Sean Welsh had nodded a Thomas corner back across goal was turned around for another flag-kick that Ruari Paton was judged to have headed over. Ferrie denied Thistle again just before the half-hour mark as he clawed away a Fitzpatrick chip that was set to land on the head of Graham with the shot-stopper called into action again on 35 minutes to beat out a swerving Fitzpatrick free-kick. Seven minutes from the break the deadlock was broken as the Sheriff dived into town. Longridge took charge of the ball on the right and sent over a waist high cross that SHERIDAN met with a diving header that bounced past David Mitchell and into the net. Sixty seconds later it was almost 2-0 through a Thomas solo effort that brought out a one-handed stop from Mitchell. Thistle looked to hit back and Tommy Robson had to keep his cool to clear before Queen’s set up an injury time attack that saw Longridge and Sheridan combine again with the striker’s header this time clearing the bar.

Scott made an adventurous start to the second half before being crowded out with Thomas taking over before he was stopped at the expense of a corner that was cleared by Thistle. Seven minutes into the restart a second goal arrived and it was a work of art as Thomas pierced the Thistle defence to find Sheridan who held the ball up long enough to release the darting PATON who first-timed a side-footed shot past Mitchell from 12 yards for his twentieth goal of the season. With excitement flowing Paton shrugged off two challenges and teed up Scott only for the former Newcastle United player to be denied a goal as his shot hit an outstretched leg. It was Thistle’s turn to have the next chance with Graham glancing a header just wide from a corner with Queen’s missing the next opportunity as Thomas and Paton combined before the latter slid a shot wide. Thistle pulled a goal back on 64 minutes when a chipped free-kick found its way to Graham who spun and sent a deft ball over Ferrie and substitute Tomi Adeloye forced the ball over the line from close range.

As the game opened up Jack Thomson had a fizzing long-distance shot saved by Mitchell with Ferrie denying Luke McBeth when he hit a similar effort. The visitors were awarded a penalty on 69 minutes when Wilson was harshly penalised for handball after getting in the way of a Graham shot with Graham making an immaculate job of things from the penalty spot. It was The Jags’ turn to have confidence flowing and Wilson had to swipe the ball past for a corner after Graham had chased his own knockdown before crossing. Queen’s were looking to get back on top and a Thomas pass to Paton on 82 minutes looked to have handed them an opening but McBeth stepped in and intercepted. Ferrie was surprisingly booked with three minutes left as he raced for goal and headed away with the chance created for Thistle when the referee’s assistant delayed in flagging for offside. This seemed to spur the Spiders forward and Scott fired a low shot wide from 18 yards with Jack Turner just failing to release Paton shortly afterwards. Three minutes into injury time Paton slipped a Longridge cross into the path of Cammy Bruce and his shot was deflected wide and from the resultant corner Mitchell held Welsh’s header.

Reaction

Partick Thistle manager Kris Doolan (speaking to the BBC):

Brian Graham getting that equaliser really picked us up again but we just couldn't create that final chance. If we had, we would have taken it and we'd have got the winner. On the balance of things, a draw was probably the least we deserved, but to come from 2-0 down shows a character which we know is here.

Queen's Park manager Callum Davidson (speaking to the BBC):

I thought the referee's decisions were really poor. Brian Graham was offside for the lead up to the first goal. On the second goal, I'm not sure what Danny Wilson supposed to do, his hands are behind his back. Those two decisions basically cost us the game.

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