12th Feb 2011 Queen of the South 3 Partick Thistle 3 (SFL First Division - game 19)

matches:2010-11: ← 31game 3233 →

Match Information

			former Jag Kenny Brannigan		Ian McCall			46y, 4m, 13d
					Graeme Shepherd; John A. Robertson; Kris Doolan
					Scott Fox; Paul Paton; Iain Flannigan
Willie McLaren (2-1, 43 mins); Willie McLaren (3-2, 87 mins); Allan Johnston (3-3, 90 mins)					Martin Grehan (1-0, 33 mins); Kris Doolan (2-0, 40 mins); Iain Flannigan (3-1, 82 mins)
Rocco Quinn; Stephen McKenna					Martin Grehan
Dan Carmichael (David Weatherston, 64 mins)					Chris Erskine (Iain Flannigan, 32 mins); Paul Cairney (Paul Paton, 68 mins); Kris Doolan (Simon Donnelly, 75 mins)
			David Hutton		Graeme Shepherd			18y, 10m, 29d
			Craig Reid		John A. Robertson			34y, 10m, 15d
			Ryan McGuffie		Patrick Boyle			23y, 10m, 23d
			Stephen McKenna		Bryan Hodge			23y, 4m, 20d
			Rocco Quinn		Willie Kinniburgh			26y, 5m, 4d
			Allan Johnston		Alan Archibald			33y, 1m, 30d
			Paul Burns		Paul Cairney			23y, 5m, 14d
			Dan Carmichael		David Rowson			34y, 4m, 29d
			Derek Holmes		Kris Doolan			24y, 2m, 1d
			Colin McMenamin		Martin Grehan			26y, 4m, 3d
			Willie McLaren		Chris Erskine			24y, 0m, 4d
								26y, 7m, 22d
			former Jag Roddy McKenzie		Craig Hinchliffe			38y, 9m, 7d
			David Weatherston		Simon Donnelly			36y, 2m, 11d
			Ryan Smillie		Iain Flannigan			23y, 0m, 28d
			Dan Orsi		Paul Paton			23y, 9m, 25d
			Ian McShane		Jamie Campbell			18y, 10m, 19d

Match Report

TTA report

Thistle, weakened by a bug, took the lead with a Grehan lob (poor pass-back, 33) then Doolan doubled it (turn and shot, 40). Queens scored just before half-time and although they pressed, Thistle were always dangerous and Flannigan scored (set up by Grehan, 82) but goals (87 and 90) robbed them of the win.

Media report

12-Feb-2011, ptfc.co.uk

Thistle suffered a pre-match setback with the news that goalkeeper Scott Fox had fallen victim to a flu bug overnight. With Ryan Scully injured and Bryn Halliwell out on loan at Clyde, it was left to 18 year old Graeme Shepherd to come into the team and make his first team debut. Other changes saw John Robertson return to the side at right back replacing Paul Paton, himself ill and fit only for a place on the bench. On the plus point though Kris Doolan had recovered his bout of illness that kept him out the team in Perth on Wednesday night and he returned to the side with Iain Flannigan dropping to the bench.

Thistle had the first glimpse of a chance inside the game’s opening minute. Martin Grehan had battled well with no reward against St Johnstone and he deservedly kept his place in the team and it was the Thistle striker that tried to test Hutton in the home goal after 40 seconds but his shot lacked any real power. Grehan was again involved in the 5th minute when good play took him deep into the Queens box but rather than shoot with his right foot he passed with his left to Kris Doolan who saw his cross cleared. With Queens also looking busy up front it was a promising opening 10 minutes and young Graeme Shepherd was called into serious action for the first time in the 12th minute. Rocco Quinn, scorer of a late winner the last time the teams met, shot from the edge of the box but Shepherd was able to get his body behind Quinn’s low drive and complete a confidence building save. Thistle were close in the 23rd minute with the goal almost coming from an unlikely source. Martin Grehan did well to head the ball on for Kris Doolan who in turn set up John Robertson pushing forward from his defensive berth. We were to be denied a rare Robertson goal, however, with Hutton doing well to block his effort. Thistle though were in front in the 33rd minute. There was more than a hint of good fortune surrounding this goal. Stephen McKenna completely misjudged his pass back to Hutton and Martin Grehan was delighted recipient of an opportunity to lob the ball over the advancing Hutton, which he did with some aplomb before collecting a yellow card, presumably for over celebrating. Seven minutes later the Thistle lead was doubled. Bryan Hodge knocked the ball on for Kris Doolan who ignored the Queens appeals for offside, controlled the ball and turned in one fluid movement before shooting across Hutton and into the net for his 10th goal of the season. Thistle though were to be denied the chance to take a two goal lead into the dressing room at half-time. The interval was just two minutes away when Queens best passing move of the afternoon thus far left McLaren with just an exposed Shepherd to beat with the Thistle keeper given no chance with a well struck shot.

The home side as you would expect had the Thistle backline under plenty of pressure in the early stages of the second half with Thistle at times hard pressed to clear their line effectively. It was Thistle though that were closest to scoring again in the 59th minute. John Robertson did well to chip the ball across for Martin Grehan with Grehan seeing his header from six yards out palmed away by David Hutton. The pressure continued to comes from the home side but the clearest chances continued to come Thistle’s way on the counter attack. In the 72nd minute Iain Flannigan nearly capped a run down the left with a goal but Hutton did well to push away Flannigan’s well struck effort. Hearts were well and truly in Thistle mouths in the 78th minute. Graeme Shepherd looked to have been fouled by Derek Holmes but there was no whistle as the ball bounced off the post and right into the path of Willie McLaren. It took a quite magnificent goal line clearance from Alan Archibald to deny what would have been a hugely controversial goal. With 8 minutes of the game remaining Thistle took a big step towards the three points with a crucial third goal. Martin Grehan was able to set up Iain Flannigan and Flannigan kept his composure to slot the ball home. A likely Thistle win was in major doubt once more in the 87th minute. The ball dropped nicely for Willie McLaren and his impressive first time finish gave the Thistle keeper little chance. With the game in injury time there was heartbreak for Thistle. Graeme Shepherd did well to block an effort from Derek Holmes but Allan Johnston was quickly onto the loose ball and from close range tucked the ball home.

Video Highlights

(credit: Partick Thistle Television )

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Stats Watch

● 18-year-old Graeme Shepherd plays his one and only game for Thistle.

● Martin Grehan scores his last goal for Thistle.

ongoing sequences:

● 7 League games without defeat, 13th Nov 2010 to date. (Longest run since: 8 games; 16th Feb 2008 to 1st Apr 2008. Club-record: 27 games; 21st Nov 1970 to 18th Sep 1971.)

● 29 consecutive competitive appearances for Paul Paton & Patrick Boyle (a new personal best), 24th Jul 2010 to date. (Longest run since: John A. Robertson - 36 games, 10th Oct 2009 to 24th Aug 2010. 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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