8th Apr 2000 Ross County 1 Partick Thistle 3 (SFL Second Division - game 32)

matches:1999-00: ← 40game 4142 →

Match Information

			Neale Cooper		John Lambie			59y, 1m, 6d
					Alan Archibald; Albert Craig; Robert Dunn
					Ray Montgomerie; Scott Miller; Russell Kelly
Brian Irvine (3-1, 82 mins)					Martin Hardie (1-0, 27 mins); Derek McWilliams (2-0, 47 mins); Martin Hardie (3-0, 73 mins)
Paul Kinnaird (John Fraser, 56 mins); Mark Duthie (Alex Bone, 56 mins); Derek Holmes (Michael Geraghty, 76 mins)					Derek McWilliams (Derek Lyle, 60 mins); Martin Hardie (Quinton Jacobs, 80 mins); Robert Dunn (Paul McIntyre, 89 mins)
			Garry Hamilton		Kevin Budinauckas			25y, 6m, 23d
			Brian Irvine		Brian Martin			37y, 1m, 15d
			future Jag Ian Maxwell		Des McKeown			30y, 2m, 21d
			Mark Duthie		Danny Lennon			31y, 0m, 2d
			John McGlashan		Dave Rogers			24y, 7m, 14d
			Steven MacKay		Alan Archibald			22y, 3m, 26d
			former Jag Paul Kinnaird		Russel Huggon			20y, 5m, 19d
			Craig Taggart		Albert Craig			38y, 3m, 5d
			former Jag Derek Ferguson		Robert Dunn			20y, 9m, 11d
			Derek Holmes		Martin Hardie			23y, 11m, 17d
			former Jag George Shaw		Derek McWilliams			34y, 2m, 23d
								28y, 0m, 18d
			John Fraser		Derek Lyle			19y, 1m, 26d
			Michael Geraghty		Paul McIntyre			33y, 2m, 21d
			Alex Bone		Quinton Jacobs			21y, 2m, 17d

Match Report

TTA report

A Hardie header (27) put Thistle ahead rather against the run of play after County had wasted a handful of chances. The second half belonged to Thistle and McWilliams sprinted through to score (47) then Hardie nodded in a Craig cross (73). Deflated County (hoping to clinch promotion) reduced the lead late (82).

Media report

09-Apr-2000, Sunday Herald

PARTICK SPOIL PROMOTION PARTY AS NERVES GET BETTER OF COUNTY. ROSS COUNTY'S day of celebration was rudely interrupted by a rampant Partick Thistle, who boosted their own promotion prospects in the process. A larger than usual home crowd filled Victoria Park, confident of seeing their favourites clinch a First Division place for next season. However, Partick evidently had not read the script.

The Maryhill side proved more solid in defence and more ruthless in attack, yet they were forced to survive several early scares as County began promisingly. Craig Taggart had the best of the opportunities, directing a curling effort which was well saved by Budinauckas on 16 minutes. The Partick goalkeeper was then injured in a freak collision with his own defender Alan Archibald, resulting in a leg wound requiring stitches. Perversely, his brief absence for treatment coincided with his side's most impressive passage in the opening half, with culminated in Martin Hardie giving them the lead after 27 minutes. There seemed little danger as Hardie picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area, but as the Dingwall defence stood off, he planted a deft curling effort past Garry Hamilton's despairing dive.

Partick maintained their slender lead till half time, and immediately after the restart came close to doubling the advantage when Russel Huggon burst forward from midfield to crack a drive off the woodwork. Just a minute later they did score, when an innocuous long ball eluded Maxwell, allowing Derek McWilliams to slam home from just inside the area. Anxiety then took over the cumbersome County midfield, with the majority of their forages breaking down before any true penetration could be achieved. Derek Holmes hit his one genuine opportunity over the bar on 52 minutes, the wildness of his effort summing up the perturbing lack of attacking bite. The visitors made sure of victory 17 minutes from time, when an Albert Craig cross was willingly dispatched by Hardy.

Brian Irvine pulled back a late consolation strike for County, but it was too little too late. They must now raise themselves for a testing trip to Palmerston Park next week. Their destiny is still firmly in their own hands, but a sizeable improvement is a necessity for any chance of Division One survival next term.

Scrapbook

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Ross County Website, 8th April, 2000

Stats Watch

● Martin Hardie scores his first goal for Thistle, adding a second for good measure.

● Derek McWilliams scores his last goal for Thistle.

ongoing sequences:

● 19 consecutive competitive appearances for Danny Lennon, 18th Dec 1999 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Alan Archibald - 39 games, 8th May 1999 to 25th Mar 2000. 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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