11th Aug 2001 Raith Rovers 1 Partick Thistle 2 (SFL First Division - game 2)

matches:2001-02: ← 07game 0809 →

	former Jag Peter Hetherston	John Lambie	60y, 5m, 9d

		Scott Paterson; Martin Hardie; Barry Elliot
		Jamie Smith; Gerry Britton; Derek Fleming

Scott Crabbe (2-1, 56 mins)		Gerry Britton (1-0, 45 mins); Gerry Britton (2-0, 49 mins)
Ross Matheson; Nacho Novo; Darren Henderson; George O'Boyle		Jamie Dolan
Nacho Novo (@ 2-1, 67 mins)
Jorge Zoco (Wilfred Nanou, 73 mins)		Barry Elliot (Gerry Britton, 37 mins); James McKinstry (Willie Howie, 70 mins); Alan Archibald (Jamie Smith, 90 mins)

	Samuel Monin	Garry Gow	24y, 1m, 18d
	Shaun Dennis	James McKinstry	22y, 1m, 8d
	Laurie Ellis	Alan Archibald	23y, 7m, 29d
	Paul Browne	Stephen Craigan	24y, 9m, 13d
	Jorge Zoco	Scott Paterson	29y, 2m, 29d
	Ross Matheson	Denis Connaghan	25y, 7m, 2d
	Jay Stein	Jamie Dolan	32y, 5m, 20d
	Nacho Novo	Danny Lennon	32y, 4m, 5d
	Darren Henderson	Scott McLean	25y, 1m, 25d
	Scott Crabbe	Martin Hardie	25y, 3m, 20d
	George O'Boyle	Barry Elliot	22y, 9m, 18d

			26y, 1m, 21d

	Simon Miotto	Kenny Arthur	22y, 8m, 4d
	Greig McCulloch	Gerry Britton	30y, 9m, 22d
	Kevin Nicol	Jamie Smith	23y, 1m, 0d
	Paul Hampshire	Willie Howie	19y, 1m, 2d
	Wilfred Nanou	Andy Brand	18y, 3m, 25d

TTA report

Thistle took early control of the game and after several misses, Britton scored from a parried save (45) and a back-heel (49). They fell out of the game and Rovers reduced the lead (56). Novo was sent off (2nd yellow for a kick at Hardie, 67) and Thistle saw the game out reasonably comfortably.

Media report

13-Aug-2001, Daily Record

CRABBE: NAUGHTY NOVO'S SILLY ANTICS COST US A POINT. SCOTT CRABBE slammed Raith team-mate Nacho Novo for the red card that ruined a special weekend. Crabbe, 33 yesterday, fired Rovers back into the game but his hopes of a happy birthday were dashed when Spaniard Novo lost the plot and was sent off after 67 minutes.

Thistle sub Gerry Britton had only been on the field nine minutes - he replaced crocked Barry Elliot - when he opened the scoring just before half-time. He doubled Thistle's lead with a cheeky back-heel four minutes after the restart. But six minutes later Crabbe squeezed a shot past Garry Gow. Rovers were looking good but that changed when Novo, booked earlier for manic gesticulations, walked for aiming a punch at Martin Hardie's legs. Things went from bad to worse when the Fifers were denied a penalty after Jamie Dolan had clearly handled the ball. Raith manager Peter Hetherston was forced to leave the dug-out for protesting and George O'Boyle was booked.

Crabbe said: “That was my first home game and I'm disappointed we didn't play well, especially in the first half. I felt when we scored we could go on and get another but the red card killed us. Nacho was causing them problems out on the right and he knows he was silly. He cost us a point. We should have had a penalty but these things even out over a season. We've obviously got to play better when Thistle come back here for the Challenge Cup game on Tuesday night.”

Hetherston said: “The result flattered us but when we got back to 2-1 I thought we had a wee chance. Novo getting himself sent off virtually ended our chances. But we should have had the penalty - everyone in the ground saw it.”

Thistle boss John Lambie said: “I was very pleased with our performance in the first half. James McKinstry and Scott McLean both played with flu symptoms and our squad is down to the bare bones so we did well to come here and win.”

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