18th Mar 2000 Hamilton Academical 0 Partick Thistle 1 (SFL Second Division - game 28)

matches:1999-00: ← 36game 3738 →

Match Information

			Ally Dawson		John Lambie			59y, 0m, 16d
					Scott Miller; Derek McWilliams
					Brian Martin; Robert Dunn
					Danny Lennon (1-0, 41 mins)
Martin Bonnar					Danny Lennon; Albert Craig; Derek McWilliams; Scott Miller
Ross MacLaren (@ 1-0, 70 mins)
Steven McCormack (Gerry Crossley, 69 mins)					Scott McLean (Derek Lyle, 56 mins); Scott Miller (Gavin Duncan, 88 mins)
			Chris Reid		Kevin Budinauckas			25y, 6m, 2d
			Paul Gaughan		Eric Paton			21y, 7m, 17d
			Ross MacLaren		Des McKeown			30y, 2m, 0d
			Steve Thomson		Danny Lennon			30y, 11m, 12d
			Eddie Cunnington		Ray Montgomerie			38y, 11m, 1d
			Steven McCormack		Alan Archibald			22y, 3m, 5d
			Ian McAulay		Scott Miller			24y, 10m, 14d
			Martin Bonnar		Albert Craig			38y, 2m, 15d
			Bill Davidson		Scott McLean			23y, 9m, 1d
			future Jag Jose Quitongo		Derek McWilliams			34y, 2m, 2d
			Darren Henderson		Quinton Jacobs			21y, 1m, 25d
								28y, 3m, 27d
			Gordon Hunter		Gavin Duncan			26y, 7m, 11d
			Ryan Kelly		Derek Lyle			19y, 1m, 5d
			Gerry Crossley		Iain Swan			20y, 5m, 2d

Match Report

TTA report

McLean's overhead kick went close then Lennon scored with a free-kick (41). McLean was carried off injured, his season over, then Lennon blasted a pen high over the bar. Accies pressed for an equaliser but they lacked a finish to fine wing play. Thistle held on to the narrow win to keep their promotion hopes alive. Hamilton had a man sent off (71).

Media report

20-Mar-2000, Daily Record

LAMBIE: I NEED A JAG TO GET ME BY; THISTLE BOSS FEELS STRAIN. JOHN LAMBIE reckons he might just need a prescription from his GP as the season builds towards a nerve-shredding climax for Partick Thistle. The manager admitted his fingernails were chewed to the bone as he watched his Jags survive a cliffhanger with Firhill tenants Hamilton and bag three points to keep their promotion bid alive. Lambie's heart must have soared when a superb 20-yard free-kick by Danny Lennon blasted into the net but he admitted the dug-out became a torture chamber as he witnessed five bookings, a sending- off, a missed penalty and a barrowload of squandered chances. He said: “In the first half we were excellent and could have scored six to 10 goals. But in the second we made it hard for ourselves and although we created enough chances to bury them, we couldn't do it. It was real valium stuff in the dug-out. Danny Lennon and Derek McWilliams were magnificent but Quinton Jacobs put us in trouble at times. The players know how I want football played and I don't want the ball punted up the park.” Referee Colin Hardie, in his first season as a league whistler, was card-happy. Lambie said: “There's no comment to make about the ref because it's not worth it. Referees have a hard enough job and players shouldn't make it harder. Albert Craig was a disgrace. He got the decision so I don't know why he spoke back to the referee and got booked. It was suicidal and my players know the conditions here. The one thing I don't stand for is talking back to referees, whether they are right or wrong, and it carries a heavy fine.” One of Lambie's prodigal sons, who knows the rules better than most, is Derek McWilliams. The 33-year-old, who has returned to the Jags from Clydebank, said: “I've a lot of sympathy for Bankies but it's great to be back. I've signed until the end of the season but if we go up who knows what might happen. Thistle are too big for the Second Division.”

Accies were minus Nicky Henderson, now with Clyde, but fans' favourite Jose Quitongo was back. For most of the 90 minutes it was one-way traffic. Eric Paton and Lennon both came close but Thistle had to wait until the 41st minute before bagging the only goal. A foul by Accies defender Ross McLaren gifted the Jags a free-kick which Lennon curled high into the top corner of the net. Eleven minutes after the break Thistle's £45,000 buy from Caley Thistle, Scott McLean, was carried off with knee ligament damage and was replaced by 18-year-old Derek Lyle. And with 20 minutes left Lyle won his side a penalty when he was held back in the box by McLaren, who was shown the red card for what the ref described as a professional foul. But Lennon became the fourth Thistle player to miss a penalty this season when he blasted his effort over the bar. There were some nervy moments for the Jags defence but Lyle and Lennon both came close as the ref added a full six minutes of injury time. Accies boss Ally Dawson said: “We were second to every ball. If I expressed my feelings about the referee there would be major repercussions.”

Scrapbook

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PTFC Match Programme, 29th April, 2000

Stats Watch

ongoing sequences:

● 37 consecutive competitive appearances for Alan Archibald, 8th May 1999 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Jimmy Boyle - 39 games, 2nd Aug 1997 to 9th May 1998. 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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