18th Apr 1998 Stirling Albion 0 Partick Thistle 1 (SFL First Division - game 33)

matches:1997-98: ← 39game 4041 →

Match Information

			Kevin Drinkell		John McVeigh			41y, 2m, 24d
					no changes
					no changes
					Gareth Evans (1-0, 2 mins)
Paul Deas; Andy Paterson; Gary Paterson					Billy Macdonald
Gary Paterson (@ 1-0, 53 mins)
Gary Carberry (David Lorimer, 63 mins); Gavin Price (Stuart McLaren, 65 mins)					Gareth Evans (Jamie McKenzie, 60 mins); Martin Lauchlan (Alex Martin, 84 mins); Alan Lawrence (Robert Dunn, 90 mins)
			Mark McGeown		Lindsay Hamilton			35y, 8m, 7d
			future Jag Paul Deas		Jimmy Boyle			31y, 1m, 30d
			Andy Paterson		Alan Archibald			20y, 4m, 5d
			Garry Paterson		Gregg Watson			27y, 6m, 28d
			Tommy Tait		Billy Macdonald			21y, 7m, 1d
			John Gibson		Jered Stirling			21y, 6m, 5d
			Landry Zahana-Oni		Gareth Evans			31y, 3m, 4d
			Kevin Thomas		Iain Nicolson			21y, 6m, 5d
			Gavin Price		Alan Lawrence			35y, 7m, 30d
			Atle Nilsen		Nicky Henderson			29y, 2m, 10d
			Gary Carberry		Martin Lauchlan			17y, 6m, 17d
								26y, 7m, 20d
			Todd Lumsden		Jamie McKenzie			17y, 4m, 20d
			former Jag David Lorimer		Robert Dunn			18y, 9m, 21d
			Stuart McLaren		Alex Martin			18y, 8m, 0d

Match Report

TTA report

9th v 10th was a tense affair although Thistle went 1-up with an Evans header from a Lauchlan cross (2). Albion had a few chances but Thistle always threatened to add to their lead. Albion were reduced to 10 men early in the second half but managed to press Thistle who saw the game out for another vital win.

Media report

20-Apr-1998, The Herald

THISTLE OPEN UP ESCAPE ROUTE. THIS is the way it should be. The sun splitting the trees. Lush, green grass akin to that of a bowling green. Two teams jousting with one another for an all-important victory. Bloody good show. Like all jousts, medieval or otherwise, there has to be a victor and the battle-scarred battalion from Maryhill thoroughly deserved that honour. If the Jags were a dog, they'd have been put down months ago, but such is the self determination and will to succeed at Thistle that they now see themselves with a real chance of avoiding the drop, perhaps even the play-off place. Not even the threat of bankruptcy, which only disappeared a couple of months ago, could quell their desire to remain in the first division and much of the plaudits, if they do stay up, must surely go to their manager, John McVeigh. Even through the worst of times at the club, McVeigh would never let his optimism waver, no matter how hurt he was inside. He is a proud man and his young squad's refusal to lie down must leave him brimming. After the mammoth victory over Stirling Albion, McVeigh gave a huge sigh of relief as his boys lifted themselves of the foot of the table with only three games to go. “That was our most important victory of the season,” he beamed. “It was a big, big win and I'm absolutely delighted. “We scored an early goal and worked really hard after that, although we made it difficult for ourselves in the second half when we surrendered a lot of territory. “But we hit them on the break a few times and could have had about four or five goals.”

It was like a home game for Thistle, with their dedicated supporters outnumbering their Albion counterparts quite considerably and how the players were spurred on by the turnout. The started the match like whippets and within two minutes scored the priceless goal which could prove to be their most vital all season. Comeback man Gareth Evans glanced a header past Albion goalkeeper Mark McGeown for his second goal in two weeks. The bustling wee attacker has only just returned after four months out with a knee injury, but his inclusion brought a directness which had been missing for some time. He ran himself to a standstill for an hour, in which time he took a battering from the less than charitable Albion defence, and panted afterwards that it was great to be back. “That was a win we desperately needed. It was frustrating watching for so long and I think we needed a bit of experience in the team. Now we have three games left and we are looking for results and not performances.” While things are looking up for Thistle, Albion find themselves occupying the bottom spot with time running out. They are hindered, too, with the imminent suspension of towering centre back Gary Paterson, who was sent off after two crude challenges. A glum Kevin Drinkell said afterwards: “//We tapped on the door a few times but never really threatened. If we maintain our good discipline we've still got a chance of staying up.

Scrapbook

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PTFC Match Programme, 9th May, 1998

Stats Watch

ongoing sequences:

● 36 consecutive competitive appearances for Jimmy Boyle, 2nd Aug 1997 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: David Farrell - 40 games, 12th Oct 1996 to 18th Oct 1997. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

Stats Watch adheres to our stated definitions of League, League Max, Major Competitive, Competitive or All Games. Where there is no written qualification, you should presume that the Stat in question is compiled from the All Games criteria.

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