4th Nov 2013 Aberdeen 4 Partick Thistle 0 (SPFL Premiership - game 12)

matches:2013-14: ← 20game 2122 →

	Derek McInnes	Alan Archibald	36y, 3m, 22d

		Gabriel Piccolo
		Conrad Balatoni

Niall McGinn (0-1, 25 mins); Calvin Zola (0-2, 39 mins); Michael Hector (0-3, 64 mins); Niall McGinn (0-4, 86 mins)
none (0-1, 25 mins); Peter Pawlett (0-2, 39 mins); Jonny Hayes (0-3, 64 mins); Michael Hector (0-4, 86 mins)
Peter Pawlett		Gabriel Piccolo; Kallum Higginbotham; John Baird

Cammy Smith (Barry Robson, 56 mins); Calvin Zola (Scott Vernon, 64 mins); Peter Pawlett (Russell Anderson, 78 mins)		James Craigen (Christie Elliott, 69 mins); Kris Doolan (Ross Forbes, 69 mins); Kallum Higginbotham (John Baird, 78 mins)

	former Jag Jamie Langfield	Scott Fox	26y, 4m, 7d
	Michael Hector	Stephen O'Donnell	21y, 5m, 24d
	Mark Reynolds	Aaron Taylor-Sinclair	22y, 6m, 27d
	Andrew Considine	Gabriel Piccolo	24y, 0m, 20d
	Willo Flood	Aaron Muirhead	23y, 2m, 5d
	Peter Pawlett	Sean Welsh	23y, 7m, 20d
	Jonny Hayes	Stuart Bannigan	21y, 1m, 18d
	Niall McGinn	Isaac Osbourne	27y, 4m, 13d
	future Jag Cammy Smith	Kris Doolan	26y, 10m, 24d
	Calvin Zola	James Craigen	22y, 7m, 7d
	Ryan Jack	Kallum Higginbotham	24y, 4m, 20d

			23y, 11m, 20d

	Nicky Weaver	Paul Gallacher	34y, 2m, 19d
	Russell Anderson	Ross Forbes	24y, 8m, 1d
	Barry Robson	Henoc Mukendi	19y, 11m, 15d
	Nicky Low	Christie Elliott	22y, 5m, 9d
	Gregg Wylde	Jordan McMillan	25y, 0m, 19d
	Scott Vernon	John Baird	28y, 2m, 13d
	Lawrence Shankland	Mark Kerr	31y, 8m, 2d

TTA report

Fox had an early point blank save but poor defending at a free-kick (25), a hard low cross touched in (39) and a shot from outside the box (64) made it 3-0. Higginbotham hit the bar from the centre spot before the 4th (similar to the 2nd, 86). Clinical Aberdeen went 2nd. No threat Thistle stayed 8th.

Media report

04-Nov-2013, ptfc.co.uk

For the second time this season Thistle ended up on the wrong end of a heavy defeat at the hands of Aberdeen whose impressive display allowed them to climb to second place in the league. Thistle went into this match without the services of Conrad Balatoni who had picked up an ankle injury and the only change to the side that had started against Celtic saw Gabriel Piccolo drafted in his place.

It was the home side that were first to threaten a goal with a Zola header in the 5th minute clearing the Thistle crossbar. Thistle though were looking relatively comfortable without posing much of an attacking threat although there were some appeals for a Thistle when Kallum Higginbotham went to ground inside the Aberdeen penalty box. Just called up into the full Scotland squad Scott Fox demonstrated just why he had been selected with a stunning save from Zola in the 17th minute to maintain the 0-0 score line. He had to admit defeat, however, in the 25th minute. Aberdeen were awarded a somewhat soft free kick no more than 6 yards outside the Thistle box and Niall McGinn’s well-placed free kick evaded the Thistle defensive wall and found a berth in the bottom corner of the net. Having fallen a goal behind it was important that Thistle didn’t concede a second goal prior to half-time but with the interval just 6 minutes away that’s precisely what they did. Aberdeen opened Thistle up down the right flank with alarming ease and when the ball was squared into the box Calvin Zola was left with the easy task of sliding the ball home from close range. Although two goals behind by half-time Thistle were not yet out of this game though the need for an early second half goal was obvious.

There was certainly a clear increase in urgency from Thistle and they started the second half the better side but rarely looked like finding a way back into the match. Sean Welsh shot tamely wide of goal in the 47th minute and 6 minute later a Kris Doolan shot spun off an Aberdeen defender for an unproductive corner kick. James Craigen too sent an effort wide of goal and although Taylor-Sinclair managed to get a free kick on target his effort was straight at Jamie Langfield leaving the Aberdeen keeper to complete a comfortable save. With Thistle having been unable to make any inroads into the Aberdeen lead the game was effectively over as a contest when the home side score a third goal in the 64th minute. Michael Hector was given a little too much room outside the Thistle box and he took full advantage of the space given to him when he gave Scott Fox no chance at all with a shot that was destined for the back of the net from the second it left his foot. Thistle nearly pulled a goal back in spectacular fashion immediately upon the restart of the game but Kallum Higginbotham’s effort from the halfway line struck the bar. Higginbotham was central to most of Thistle attacks and he saw a dangerous cross scrambled clear by the Aberdeen defence before Langfield did well to turn his deflected shot round the post for a corner. An attempted chip from McGinn in the 74th minute dropped just over Scott Fox’s crossbar as Aberdeen attempted to heap further misery upon Thistle while at the other end Aaron Muirhead saw a shot saved and Gabriel Piccolo nodded a Ross Forbes free kick over the bar. Aberdeen though were hungry for further goals and it took an excellent clearance from Taylor-Sinclair to prevent them adding a 4th goal before Willo Flood sent an effort from distance wide of Scott Fox’s left hand post. The home side, however, would claim a 4th goal with 4 minutes; Niall McGinn converting with a cross from the right to notch his second goal of what was a bitterly disappointing night for Thistle.

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