13th Aug 1994 Partick Thistle 2 Kilmarnock 0 (SFL Premier Division - game 1)

matches:1994-95: ← 03game 0405 →

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53y, 5m, 11d	John Lambie	Alex Totten

Bobby Law; Alex Taylor; Isaac English
Graham Harbey; Jeff Aunger; Ian Cameron [i]

Derek McWilliams (1-0, 23 mins); Isaac English (2-0, 24 mins)

		Craig Napier (George McCluskey, 58 mins)

23y, 2m, 16d	Craig Nelson	Bobby Geddes
33y, 5m, 8d	David Byrne	Gus MacPherson
28y, 7m, 20d	Bobby Law	Tom Black
31y, 3m, 17d	Willie Jamieson	Ray Montgomerie future Jag
32y, 10m, 2d	Grant Tierney	Mark Reilly
28y, 6m, 28d	Derek McWilliams	Andy Millen
32y, 2m, 0d	Alex Taylor	Ally Mitchell
32y, 7m, 10d	Albert Craig	Craig Napier
27y, 10m, 28d	Roddy Grant	Bobby Williamson
22y, 9m, 1d	Isaac English	Bobby Connor future Jag
31y, 2m, 2d	Chic Charnley	Steve Maskrey future Jag
29y, 6m, 4d

19y, 10m, 28d	Kevin Budinauckas	Colin Meldrum
20y, 10m, 1d	Tom Smith	Jim Lauchlan
27y, 11m, 20d	Ian Cameron [i]	George McCluskey

TTA report

McWilliams (a fine game on his competitive debut) scored with a 20-yard volley (23) then Kilmarnock took the restart, lost possession and English with time and space scored number 2 (24). Killie had more of the ball in the second half but never looked like retrieving the situation. Thistle's first-ever 3-point win.

Media report

Source not recorded

I SUPPOSE we should have known better. There was John Lambie, the Partick Thistle manager, telling us all that this would be a desperate season of survival for his side. He was short of players, short of quality, and another term of uncertainty lay ahead. Then, instead of an apprehensive step into the new season, Thistle got themselves off to a flier against Kilmarnock at Firhill. Last season, it took them until the middle of September to collect a win bonus in the league, but on Saturday Lambie’s men bounced out, looking fresh for the challenge, and took three points in a most positive manner. Much had been said and written about Lambie’s efforts to sign experienced men such as Celtic’s Gary Gillespie and Dundee United’s Dave Narey — and the man still has not given up the chase, although Gillespie says he wants to resume his career in England — but it was winger Derek McWilliams, an unheralded signing from Dunfermline, who took the eye in the 2-0 victory.

It was McWilliams, who spent much time during the close season in England trying to find a club, who sparked things off for Thistle by hammering in a volley from 20 yards, and before Kilmarnock could recover the Firhill side put themselves further ahead. The visitors lost possession from the restart, Bobby Law pushed a pass into the penalty area, and Isaac English, with time and space, struck a shot behind Bobby Geddes. McWilliams, Chic Charnley and Alex Taylor then took a firm grip on the midfield and although Kilmarnock did get themselves back together, they never looked like saving the match. Said Lambie afterwards: “Our work rate was magnificent and it was a great debut for Derek McWilliams. I worked with him when he was a 15-year-old at Hibs and I know that when he is properly fit he will be a good signing for us. He is a lad who needs a lot of encouragement and that goal should give him a lot of confidence.”

Thistle’s two strikes inside a minute practically killed off the match as a contest, but things are never really dull at Firhill, and Thistle assistant manager Gerry Collins added something to the entertainment. Gerry is at present serving a year’s ban from the dug-out, and there was something familiar about the man with the hard yellow hat who stood on the site of the new Firhill stand, which is under construction. Unlike the other men, who were on the concrete steps opposite the main stand wearing the protective headgear and casual clothes, the man with the suit and the hat was in a rather agitated state. It took the referee just 10 minutes into the match to realise who the man was, and a further three minutes to tell John Lambie that it was not on. Lambie admitted: “Gerry doesn’t like sitting in the stand. But the referee runs the game and he wasn’t happy at Gerry’s position, so at half time I had to tell him to go back into the main stand.” As it turned out, the Thistle players didn’t need any extra encouragement. Kilmarnock were a disappointment, but having signed Clydebank midfielder John Henry for £175,000 — a club record — they should improve. Henry was signed too late to play against Thistle, but he should make his debut for the Rugby Park club in the Coca-Cola Cup tie against East Fife on Wednesday.

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