2nd Apr 1994 Motherwell 2 Partick Thistle 2 (SFL Premier Division - game 36)

matches:1993-94: ← 43game 4445 →

	Tommy McLean	John Lambie	53y, 1m, 0d

		Callum Milne
		David Byrne

Tommy Coyne (1-1, 17 mins); John Philliben (1-2, 68 mins)		Isaac English (1-0, 13 mins); Roddy Grant (2-2, 88 mins)

Tommy Coyne (Paul McGrillen)		Grant Tierney (Bobby Barnes); Ian Cameron [i] (Alex Taylor)

	Sieb Dijkstra	Craig Nelson	22y, 10m, 5d
	Rab Shannon	Bobby Law	28y, 3m, 9d
	Rab McKinnon	Callum Milne	28y, 7m, 6d
	Miodrag Krivokapic	Gregg Watson	23y, 6m, 12d
	John Philliben	Grant Tierney	32y, 5m, 22d
	Chris McCart	Willie Jamieson	30y, 11m, 6d
	Paul Lambert	Ian Cameron [i]	27y, 7m, 9d
	future Jag Jamie Dolan	Albert Craig	32y, 2m, 30d
	Dougie Arnott	Roddy Grant	27y, 6m, 17d
	Phil O'Donnell	Isaac English	22y, 4m, 21d
	Tommy Coyne	Chic Charnley	30y, 9m, 22d

			27y, 11m, 5d

	former Jag Billy Thomson	Andy Murdoch	25y, 8m, 13d
	Billy Davies	Bobby Barnes	31y, 3m, 16d
	future Jag Paul McGrillen	Alex Taylor	31y, 9m, 20d

TTA report

A shaky start but Thistle took a surprising lead (English, at the 2nd attempt, 13) but shocking defending at a long throw-in led to 2nd top Motherwell's equaliser (17). Law almost scored (68) but Motherwell dominated. They went ahead after a mix-up (68) but Grant rolled the ball past the keeper for a vital draw (88).

Media report

04-Apr-1994, Glasgow Herald

MOTHERWELL’S realistic target for the rest of the season must surely be a place in Europe for only the second time in the history of continental competition. They shot themselves in the foot in the 2-2 draw with Partick Thistle at Fir Park on Saturday, missing a chance to put pressure on Rangers at the top of the premier division, and with seven matches left they trail the champions by five points having played a game more. They should, however, have closed the gap in a match they seemed to have won with some comfort, only to see a point snatched away in the final minute because of some bizarre defending which left Thistle’s Roddy Grant with only goalkeeper Sieb Dykstra to beat. Said Motherwell manager Tommy McLean: “We were far superior, and perhaps we should have had a penalty, but it just goes to show what can happen when you don’t capitalise on your chances. It’s a match we should have won hands down, but with us only a goal ahead, Thistle always had a chance. Before we lost that late goal, McGrillen, Dolan and Lambert all should have cleared, but they didn’t. When you lose a goal at that stage you can’t come back — you just have to grin and bear it. But all credit to Thistle for the way they kept battling.”

It was a travesty Motherwell didn’t win this one, but, as the man said, they had only themselves to blame. Poor finishing and a careless last touch let them down and, going into that last minute, they should have been two or three in front. Another worrying aspect for the Lanarkshire side must be the way they often give away an early goal, leaving themselves chasing the game. It happened again at the weekend when, in their first serious raid after 13 minutes, Thistle’s Isaac English took a head flick from Grant and, although Dykstra blocked his first effort, the striker, lying on the ground, poked out a foot to steer the ball in. Thistle then showed that Motherwell didn’t have a monopoly in gifting goals. In 17 minutes, a long throw bounced between keeper Craig Nelson and a couple of defenders. All seemed reluctant to move for the ball and Tommy Coyne stepped in to thump the ball in off a post. Motherwell then missed a series of chances, the best falling to Coyne and Dougie Arnott, before they took the lead in 68 minutes. A free kick was headed across the face of the goal by Chris McCart, and the unmarked John Philliben came tearing in at the far post to hit a fierce drive past Nelson. Nobody expected Thistle to come back, for they had struggled for most of the afternoon. However, Motherwell unlocked their own back door and Grant stepped in.

Thistle manager John Lambie admitted afterwards that Grant might not have been on the field to grab the equaliser. “I made a substitution near the end and I was in two minds whether to take off Grant or Cameron,” he said. “Roddy may lack a bit of pace, but he is always liable to score so I left him on. “To be fair, however, we got out of jail. I didn’t think we would come back. A lot of my players looked lethargic in this game, and I thought our defence was diabolical, but we stole a point, and I hope we can steal a few more before the end of the season.

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