5th Apr 2003 Rangers 2 Partick Thistle 0 (Scottish Premier League - game 32)

matches:2002-03: ← 41game 4243 →

Match Information

			Alex McLeish		John Lambie			62y, 1m, 3d
					Stephen Craigan; Scott Paterson; Alex Burns; David Rowson
					James McKinstry; Derek Whyte; Barry Elliot; Ian Ross
Michael Mols (0-1, 70 mins); Michael Mols (0-2, 75 mins)
					Gerry Britton
Maurice Ross (Neil McCann, 50 mins); Mikel Arteta (Claudio Caniggia, 61 mins); Peter Lovenkrands (Shota Arveladze, 76 mins)					Scott Paterson (Derek Whyte, 9 mins); Derek Fleming (Ricky Waddell, 78 mins); Gerry Britton (Paul Walker, 85 mins)
			Stefan Klos		Kenny Arthur			24y, 3m, 29d
			Fernando Ricksen		David Lilley			25y, 5m, 5d
			Craig Moore		Alan Archibald			25y, 3m, 23d
			Bert Konterman		Stephen Craigan			26y, 5m, 7d
			Bob Malcolm		Scott Paterson			30y, 10m, 23d
			Maurice Ross		Jamie Buchan			26y, 0m, 2d
			Ronald De Boer		Jamie Mitchell			26y, 4m, 30d
			Mikel Arteta		Alex Burns			29y, 8m, 1d
			Stephen Hughes		Derek Fleming			29y, 4m, 0d
			Michael Mols		Gerry Britton			32y, 5m, 16d
			Peter Lovenkrands		David Rowson			26y, 6m, 22d
								27y, 6m, 11d
			Allan McGregor		Steven Pinkowski			19y, 9m, 27d
			Dan Eggen		Derek Whyte			34y, 7m, 5d
			Neil McCann		Ricky Waddell			22y, 2m, 1d
			Claudio Caniggia		Andy S. Gibson			21y, 1m, 3d
			Shota Arveladze		Paul Walker			25y, 7m, 16d

Match Report

TTA report

It could have been so different! Britton missed a great chance (8) then he brought out a smart save with a turn and shot. Burns went close with a poor pass back (47) but eventually top of the league Rangers got on top and scored (70 and 75). Thistle never gave up and only a brilliant save denied Rowson.

Media report

05-Apr-2003, bbc.com

MOLS PUTS PAID TO PARTICK. Two goals in five minutes from Michael Mols finally broke Partick Thistle's stubborn resistance to stretch Rangers' lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League to nine points. It looked like the advantage might be handed to Celtic in the title race as the home side struggled to make the breakthrough in the Glasgow derby at Ibrox. Shota Arveladze was waiting on the touchline to replace Mols when the Dutchman broke the deadlock after 70 minutes then quickly followed it up with his second. Until then, Thistle had produced the better chances and looked poised to claim the draw that would have given champions Celtic the chance to narrow the gap to four points with two games in hand when they face Dundee on Sunday. Injury and suspension-hit Rangers missed the presence of banned inspirational skipper Barry Ferguson. Partick were without Martin Hardie through suspension, but Jamie Mitchell proved a more than ample deputy as his lively footwork inspired his side's midfield.

Thistle boss John Lambie had to make another change to his line-up after only nine minutes, when Thistle lost the cool assurance of Scott Paterson at the centre of the defence to injury. Former Scotland international Derek Whyte came on to make his long-awaited return from injury. Thistle squandered an excellent chance to take the lead while waiting to make the substitution. Mitchell sent Gerry Britton clear, but the striker delayed his shot long enough to allow Fernando Ricksen to block his effort at the edge of the box. Britton did force Stefan Klos into the action with a quick turn and shot from 16 yards that was well held by the goalkeeper. Rangers eventually created a chance after 25 minutes, when Peter Lovenkrands' snap shot from 20 yards was blocked clear by goalkeeper Kenny Arthur.

Klos prevented Thistle taking a shock lead early after the break, when Alex Burns pounced on a poor back pass from Maurice Ross but had his effort blocked by the goalkeeper. Rangers brought Neil McCann and Claudio Caniggia on for Maurice Ross and Mikel Arteta and started to apply more pressure - and create more chances. It eventually produced a goal when Stephen Hughes did well to turn the ball into the box from the by-line and Mols met the midfielder's near-post cross to head the ball home. Mols pounced again to drive low into the net after a Ronald De Boer pass fell into his path off defender Derek Fleming. Thistle missed a chance to put Rangers under pressure, when substitute Ricky Waddell fired against the legs of Klos from only five yards out.

Scrapbook

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BBC, 5th April, 2003

Sunday Mail, 6th April, 2003

Video Highlights

(credit: BBC Scotland )

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Stats Watch

● 25-year-old Paul Walker plays his last game for Thistle.

ongoing sequences:

● 51 consecutive competitive appearances for Scott Paterson, 9th Feb 2002 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Stephen Craigan - 58 games, 8th Aug 2000 to 10th Nov 2001. 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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