17th Dec 2011 Partick Thistle 0 Raith Rovers 1 (SFL First Division - game 17)

matches:2011-12: ← 25game 2627 →

38y, 1m, 23d	Jackie McNamara	John McGlynn

Kris Doolan
Kyle Hutton

		John Baird (0-1, 66 mins)
		Iain Williamson; Grant Murray; Willie Dyer

Craig Dargo (Chris Erskine, HT); Christie Elliott (Tommy Stewart, 75 mins); Alan Archibald (Scott Robertson, 76 mins)		Iain Davidson (Iain Williamson, 75 mins); Willie Dyer (Jamie Walker, 88 mins)

24y, 5m, 19d	Scott Fox	David McGurn
24y, 7m, 29d	Paul Paton	Reece Donaldson
20y, 8m, 9d	Aaron Taylor-Sinclair	Willie Dyer
19y, 7m, 6d	Stephen O'Donnell	Laurie Ellis
20y, 10m, 20d	Conrad Balatoni	Dougie Hill
34y, 0m, 4d	Alan Archibald	Grant Murray former Jag
24y, 3m, 18d	Paul Cairney	Allan Walker
35y, 3m, 3d	David Rowson	Iain Davidson
33y, 11m, 14d	Craig Dargo	John Baird future Jag
20y, 6m, 21d	Christie Elliott	David Smith
25y, 0m, 6d	Kris Doolan	Joe Hamill

25y, 9m, 5d

19y, 1m, 18d	Ryan Scully	Ludovic Roy future Jag
25y, 1m, 5d	Tommy Stewart	Iain Williamson
24y, 10m, 9d	Chris Erskine	Jason Holt
24y, 0m, 21d	Scott Robertson	Jamie Walker
19y, 3m, 0d	Stuart Bannigan	Steven Reynolds

TTA report

Despite enjoying most of the play Thistle couldn't find the net. Rovers went close on the half-hour and almost scored on half-time. Thistle had most of the chances but controversy struck (66) when the ball came off the bar at a corner, Baird used an arm to score and the ref overruled the linesman's flag. Mugged.

Media report

17-Dec-2011, ptfc.co.uk

The first real cold snap of the winter saw no fewer than 8 SFL games fall victim to the weather but after a precautionary morning pitch inspection Firhill was passed fit for play for the visit of bottom club Raith Rovers. Manager Jackie McNamara made one change in terms of personnel to the side that defeated Morton seven days earlier. With Kyle Hutton’s loan spell at an end Kris Doolan, scorer of the winning goal against Morton, was drafted into the starting eleven as the Thistle manager altered the shape of his team a little. The manager had expressed the importance of exercising patience in this game and frustration was the name of the game in a first 45 minutes that did little to lift the winter chill. Thistle were the better side for large spells of the first half but were unable to translate their dominance of possession into clear cut scoring chances.

An impressive Paul Cairney was the most dangerous looking Thistle player and he was the first to have a glimpse of goal, bursting into the Raith penalty box in the 8th minute before shooting wide of goal. Cairney was again at the heart of things in the 15th minute sending over a great cross from the right hand side that Kris Doolan couldn’t quite convert with his head. Paul Paton sent a shot over the bar as Thistle continued to press and an Aaron Sinclair free kick was handled just a yard outside the Raith box giving Thistle another set piece opportunity. This time, however, Thistle weren’t able to fashion a shooting chance. Raith had offered very little going forward but they were close to taking a 28th minute lead. John Baird has frequently been a thorn in Thistle’s side in the past but on this occasion he saw his shot smothered by Scott Fox. Rovers seemed to grow in confidence the longer the first half went on and Allan Walker was able to whip over a dangerous cross after being set up by John Baird but no Rovers player was on hand to take advantage as the ball crossed the Thistle six yard box.

After a frustrating first half, Thistle made a change at the break with Chris Erskine replacing Craig Dargo and Erskine was involved in the action early on, very nearly setting up Kris Doolan for a shooting chance. Thistle hadn’t created a great number of chances in the first half but were close to scoring in the 55th minute and would have done so had it not been for an instinctive block by McGurn in the Rovers goal. In a near repeat of Thistle’s winning goal at Cappielow Aaron Sinclair crossed from the left but this time Doolan was denied a goal by the visiting custodian. Just past the hour mark another Aaron Sinclair cross looked as if it might help unlock the Rovers defence but Chris Erskine wasn’t able to convert at the back post. It wasn’t quite one way traffic, however, and the Thistle goal was under threat when David Smith’s deflected effort spun over the Thistle crossbar for a corner. It was from that corner that Rovers took a controversial lead. Scott Fox initially did well to save a Hill header but Baird was on hand to knock home the loose ball. The Rovers celebrations though were looked to be cut short when the assistant referee’s flag went up seemingly giving Thistle a reprieve. However, following consultation with his assistant referee Tumilty gave the goal. McNamara’s response seeing him sent to the stand by the match official. With Rovers sitting in and showing little desire to come forward, Thistle’s frustration was growing all the time. Paul Cairney though was close to bringing the scores back level only for McGurn to turn his low drive round the post for a corner. Openings in front of goal were at a premium for Thistle and when they did get a chance they found McGurn in the Rovers goal in excellent form, the keeper managing to claw away an Erskine header from an O’Donnell cross as the game moved deep into the final ten minutes. McGurn was again able to save when Paul Cairney’s drive took a deflection into the Raith keeper’s waiting arms as time started to run on Thistle.

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