14th Feb 2015 Dundee 1 Partick Thistle 0 (SPFL Premiership - game 25)

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matches:2014-15: ← 35game 3637 →

	Paul Hartley	Alan Archibald	37y, 7m, 1d

		Gary Fraser
		Ryan Stevenson

Paul McGowan (0-1, 90+1 mins)
Gary Harkins (0-1, 90+1 mins)
Paul McGowan		Stuart Bannigan; Callum Booth; Christie Elliott

Gary Irvine (Willie Dyer, HT); Kostadin Gadzhalov (Gary Harkins, HT); Paul Heffernan (Craig Wighton, 69 mins)		Scott Fox (Paul Gallacher, HT); Lyle Taylor (Kris Doolan, 68 mins); Gary Fraser (Ryan Stevenson, 74 mins)

	Scott Bain	Scott Fox	27y, 7m, 17d
	Gary Irvine	Stephen O'Donnell	22y, 9m, 3d
	Thomas Konrad	Callum Booth	23y, 8m, 15d
	James McPake	Conrad Balatoni	24y, 0m, 18d
	Paul McGowan	Freddy Frans	26y, 1m, 11d
	future Jag Paul McGinn	Abdul Osman	27y, 11m, 18d
	Jim McAlister	Stuart Bannigan	22y, 4m, 28d
	Alex Harris	Gary Fraser	20y, 7m, 12d
	Kostadin Gadzhalov	Lyle Taylor	24y, 10m, 16d
	Stephen McGinn	Christie Elliott	23y, 8m, 19d
	Paul Heffernan	Declan McDaid	19y, 2m, 23d

			23y, 11m, 1d

	Kyle Letheren	Paul Gallacher	35y, 5m, 29d
	David Clarkson	James Craigen	23y, 10m, 17d
	former Jag Gary Harkins	Kris Doolan	28y, 2m, 3d
	Craig Wighton	Ryan Stevenson	30y, 5m, 21d
	Kevin McBride	Steven Lawless	23y, 10m, 2d
	Andrew Black	Kallum Higginbotham	25y, 7m, 30d
	Willie Dyer	Ben Richards-Everton	22y, 3m, 28d

notes

PTFC gives second Thistle yellow to Gary Fraser. Everyone else says Callum Booth. DFC and OPTA (source for BBC & SPFL) say Booth and they are independent of each other.

TTA report

Balatoni headed 3 corners over and Taylor went close. Fox had some fine saves as well. He was injured and replaced by Gallacher at half-time. Thistle continued to look comfortable and worth at least a point but a misplaced pass by Doolan on the edge of the Dundee box led to a break and ex-JAG Harkins set up a tap-in (91).

Media report

14-Feb-2015, bbc.com

A stoppage-time winner from Paul McGowan lifted Dundee into the top half of the Premiership after a dour contest with Partick Thistle at Dens Park. Gary Harkins waltzed his way into the penalty area to set up his team-mate for a tap-in at the back post. The visitors were on top during the first 45 minutes, threatening from a series of set-pieces. But it needed a good save from Jags keeper Scott Fox to keep out an Alex Harris free-kick before half-time.

Dundee move two points clear of Tayside rivals St Johnstone, having stretched their unbeaten league run to seven matches, while Thistle have now lost their last four outings. Harkins' late demonstration of skill was the only real moment of magic in a flat afternoon from both sides.

Thistle got off to the brighter start and striker Lyle Taylor should have had them in front in six minutes, spinning to fire in a shot from 10 yard only to steer it wide. Jim McAlister then had a great chance for Dundee latching on to a neat Harris through ball, but Fox was smartly off his line to block. Thistle though were the livelier side and, after several half-chances, Callum Booth went close on when he powered a header over from a Stuart Bannigan corner. On the stroke of half time Harris hit a powerful 25-yard free kick which seemed net-bound but Fox leapt to his right to turn the shot away.

The visiting goalkeeper did not reappear for the second half - with Paul Gallacher replacing his injured colleague, while Harkins was introduced after the interval along with Dark Blues team-mate Willie Dyer. Paul Heffernan, making his debut for the hosts, flashed a shot wide after an hour but both sides were struggling to create clear-cut chances. With the game seemingly petering out, Harkins suddenly burst into life, shuffling past two Thistle defenders on the left side of their box to square a pass for McGowan, who had the simple task to stab home from four yards.

LAST MINUTE DUNDEE - AGAIN

● Scott Fox is substituted for the 3rd time in a competitive Thistle match. The highly unusual occurence follows on from his being substituted in League games vs Ross County [h] L2-3 in May 2014 and vs Dunfermline [h] W5-1 in November 2012. Whilst my substitution records are far from comprehensive from 1966 to the 1980s, I'd be very surprised if any of our 'keepers have been subbed more often than that.

● Two goalkeepers appearing in the same competitive match is unusual enough. For the same pair to do it twice against the same team in the same season is absolutely a first for the club.

● Thistle concede a 90th minute goal for the 5th time in the Premiership 2014-15. The goals have all cost points, 7 in total. Currently, my database can only take this query back to season 1996-97 and in that time there has never been a season like this one for League pain. Closest was the Premiership season of 2013-14, in which 4 points were lost to 90th minute goals.

● By contrast, Thistle's only 90th minute goal in this season's Premiership came in the 4-0 win at home to Ross County and gained nil points.

● Unbelievably, Dundee have scored a 90th minute League goal against Thistle on five separate occasions in the 21st century. Four were winners and one salvaged a draw for them.

● Paul McGowan scored Dundee's 200th home League goal against Partick Thistle. The unlikely column tally now reads: Dundee 200 goals, Partick Thistle 100 goals.

● Thistle go 3 League games without a goal for the first time since November 2011.

● Thistle's last 9 League defeats have all been to nil.

ongoing sequences:

● 4 consecutive competitive defeats, 30th Jan 2015 to date. (Longest run since: 5 defeats, 27th Oct 2013 to 1st Dec 2013. Club-record: 14 defeats, 3rd Jan 1898 to 15th Oct 1898.)

● 16 consecutive competitive appearances for Stephen O'Donnell and Ryan Stevenson (a new personal best), 8th Nov 2014 to date. (Longest run since: Abdul Osman - 22 games, 13th Aug 2014 to 27th Dec 2014. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

● 32 competitive games since back-to-back draws, 7th May 2014 to date. (Longest run since: 59 games, 18th Aug 2009 to 11th Dec 2010. Club-record: 201 games, 11th Feb 1957 to 1st Apr 1961.)

● 65 competitive games since back-to-back wins, 14th Sep 2013 to date. (Longest run since the club-record: 69 games, 31st Dec 1907 to 9th Oct 1909.)

● 65 League games since back-to-back Top Flight wins, 9th May 2004 to date. (Longest run since the club-record: 77 games, 2nd Nov 1912 to 5th Dec 1914.)

● 71 competitive games since back-to-back clean-sheets, 6th Aug 2013 to date. (Longest run since: 102 games, 27th Apr 2002 to 23rd Oct 2004. Club-record: 303 games, 26th Feb 1938 to 23rd Jun 1945.)

● Thistle stay 9th in the Premiership for the 13th match in a row.

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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