13th Dec 2008 Partick Thistle 2 Airdrie United 1 (SFL First Division - game 16)

Partick Thistle – a People’s History will be the 150th anniversary book; author Kenny Pieper needs your memories and stories from following the Jags… read more on the club website or get straight to it by e-mailing: ku.oc.cftp|051#ku.oc.cftp|051

matches:2008-09: ← 30game 3132 →

Match Information

44y, 2m, 13d			Ian McCall		Kenny Black
Simon Storey; Willie Kinniburgh; Chris Turner; Mark Roberts
Ryan McStay; Alan Archibald; Scott Chaplain; Simon Donnelly
Gary Harkins (1-1, 18 mins); Scott McLaughlin (2-1, og 62 mins)					Simon Lynch (0-1, 13 mins)
					Bobby Donnelly; Joe Cardle
Ian Maxwell (Alan Archibald, 7 mins); Chris Turner (Marc Twaddle, HT); Mark Roberts (Simon Donnelly, 70 mins)					Kevin McDonald (Michael Brown, 66 mins); Matt Hazley (Stuart Noble, 79 mins)
21y, 10m, 23d			Jonny Tuffey		Stephen Robertson
21y, 7m, 25d			Paul Paton		Marc Smyth former Jag
22y, 9m, 15d			Kevin McKinlay		Matt Hazley
26y, 6m, 8d			Simon Storey		Kevin McDonald
24y, 3m, 5d			Willie Kinniburgh		Bobby Donnelly
33y, 7m, 11d			Ian Maxwell		Stephen McKenna
21y, 11m, 10d			Chris Turner		Steven McDougall
32y, 2m, 29d			David Rowson		Scott McLaughlin
23y, 8m, 16d			Liam Buchanan		Paul Di Giacomo former Jag
33y, 1m, 14d			Mark Roberts		Simon Lynch former Jag
23y, 11m, 11d			Gary Harkins		Joe Cardle future Jag
25y, 11m, 21d
36y, 7m, 8d			Craig Hinchliffe		Lee Hollis
31y, 0m, 0d			Alan Archibald		David Nixon
34y, 0m, 12d			Simon Donnelly		Michael Brown
25y, 3m, 3d			Scott Chaplain		Stuart Noble former Jag
22y, 3m, 16d			Marc Twaddle		Darren Smith

Match Report

TTA report

Rejected trialist Lynch gave Airdrie the lead (13) but Harkins lifted a through ball over the keeper for 1-1 (18). Lynch almost scored again before half-time. Thistle played much better in the second half and took the lead through an OG (62). McKinlay almost put the game out of reach (86) but his shot was well saved.

Media report

13-Dec-2008, ptfc.co.uk

In our previous fixture against Stirling Albion the non-availability of so many players gave manager Ian McCall a serious selection headache. For this fixture against Airdrie United it was a different type of selection altogether for the Thistle manager. Simon Storey and Willie Kinniburgh, both absentees against Stirling, were drafted back into the team with Alan Archibald, not yet quite 100% match fit dropping to the bench. One player that was unavailable was Stephen McKeown and Chris Turner was the man chosen to fill his midfield berth. Up front Liam Buchanan was partnered by Mark Roberts.

Thistle were the first of the two teams to have a shot on target. A well worked free kick some 35 yards from goal ended with Gary Harkins testing Robertson in the Airdrie United goal with well struck shot. Thistle's pre-match plans were upset as early as the 6th minute when Ian Maxwell retired early through injury with Alan Archibald coming on in his place. In the 13th minute Airdrie United took the lead. Simon Lynch displayed great opportunism to seize upon a loose ball inside the Thistle box and fire into the far corner of the net but the opportunity only arose as the direct result of poor defending from Willie Kinniburgh. It took Thistle just five minutes to level the scores and it was a quite delightful strike from Gary Harkins. A superb through ball from Mark Roberts picked out a run from Gary Harkins and Harkins, scorer of six goals already this season, lifted the ball over the head of Robertson and into the net. That goal seemed to instil some confidence into the Thistle ranks and Liam Buchanan just failed to direct a Paul Paton cross towards goal. There was anxiety though in the Thistle ranks in the 28th minute when hesitation inside the box nearly provided Lynch with another opportunity but Tuffey was off his line to block. It took until the 37th minute for either team to win a corner and from that corner Liam Buchanan had a half chance at the near post but his shot from Paton's corner went just the wrong side of the post. Buchanan was the creator of a chance two minutes later with Gary Harkins sending a header wide of goal following Buchanan's cross from Thistle's right hand side.

Thistle made a change at the break with Marc Twaddle coming on to replace Chris Turner. A miskick from Airdrie United keeper Robertson at the start of the second half presented Mark Roberts with a glimpse of goal but he was never able to get the ball under control and as a result when he did shoot his shot was always drifting wide of target. A run a from Kevin McKinlay followed by a dangerous cross was cleared at the expense of a Thistle corner and from that corner Buchanan was able to peel away from his marker before glancing a header wide of goal. Thistle's impressive start to the second half continued and in the 51st minute A David Rowson cross was scrambled clear for another Thistle corner. Thistle were within inches of taking the lead in the 58th minute. Liam Buchanan drilled a cross right across the six yard box with the danger cleared for a corner kick. In the 62nd minute Thistle took the lead albeit it was an Airdrie United player that applied the finish. Marc Twaddle swung the ball over from the left hand side, and Scott McLaughlin sent the ball flying past his own goalkeeper. With 19 minutes of the game remaining Thistle made their third and final change with Mark Roberts being replaced by Simon Donnelly. Donnelly's first involvement was to nod the ball wide of goal as Airdrie United struggled to clear the ball inside their own penalty box. Thistle had been the better team in the second half but Airdrie United still look dangerous and a Scott McLaughlin shot from the edge of the box went wide with Jonny Tuffey left standing. In the 75th minute McLau ghlin again came close with another shot from the edge of the box. As Thistle looked for the third goal that would all but secure the points Simon Donnelly curled a shot wide of goal in the 82nd minute after Airdrie hadn't effectively cleared a Paul Paton corner kick. In the 86th minute any doubt over the destiny of the points were nearly removed butb Robertson produced an excellent save low down to his right to deny Kevin McKinlay a goal. Simon Donnelly too was denied by a fine save from the Airdrie United keeper as the game neared a conclusion. There were almost three full minutes of injury time before referee McCurry blew his whistle on Thistle's fourth consecutive home win.

Scrapbook

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Daily Record, 15th December, 2008

Stats Watch

● 21-year-old Chris Turner plays his last game for Thistle.

ongoing sequences:

● 4 consecutive competitive home wins; 1st Nov 2008 to date. (Longest run since: 5 wins; 26th Jul 2008 to 23rd Aug 2008. Club-record: 11 wins; 26th Aug 1899 to 3rd Feb 1900.)

● 4 consecutive home League wins; 1st Nov 2008 to date. (Longest run since: 4 wins; 2nd Nov 2002 to 7th Dec 2002. Joint club-record: 10 wins; 5th Sep 1896 to 25th Sep 1897 & 7th Nov 1970 to 5th Apr 1971.)

● 6 home League games without defeat; 20th Sep 2008 to date. (Longest run since: 12 games; 22nd Sep 2007 to 1st Apr 2008. Joint club-record: 23 games; 27th Aug 1910 to 14th Oct 1911 & 29th Aug 1970 to 6th Nov 1971.)

● 24 consecutive competitive appearances for Ian Maxwell, 26th Jul 2008 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Scott Chaplain - 27 games, 13th Apr 2008 to 29th Nov 2008. 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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