22nd Oct 2016 Partick Thistle 1 Ross County 1 (SPFL Premiership - game 9)

matches:2016-17: ← 17game 1819 →

Match Information

39y, 3m, 9d			Alan Archibald		Jim McIntyre
Christie Elliott; Ade Azeez; Sean Welsh
Ziggy Gordon; Chris Erskine; Steven Lawless
Sean Welsh (1-0, pen 24 mins)					Chris Burke (1-1, 90+5 mins)
none (1-0, pen 24 mins)					Martin Woods (1-1, 90+5 mins)
Ade Azeez					Andrew Davies; Craig Curran; Ryan Dow
Liam Lindsay (Ziggy Gordon, 77 mins); Kris Doolan (David Amoo, 85 mins)					Alex Schalk (Greg Morrison, 62 mins); Marcus Fraser (Chris Burke, 63 mins); Craig Curran (Tony Dingwall, 82 mins)
23y, 11m, 23d			Ryan Scully		Scott Fox former Jag
25y, 4m, 26d			Christie Elliott		Marcus Fraser
25y, 4m, 22d			Callum Booth		Michael Gardyne
21y, 0m, 10d			Liam Lindsay		Martin Woods future Jag
24y, 1m, 15d			Danny Devine		Ryan Dow
25y, 9m, 15d			Adam Barton		Craig Curran
29y, 7m, 25d			Abdul Osman		Andrew Davies
22y, 11m, 5d			Ryan Edwards		Ian McShane
29y, 10m, 11d			Kris Doolan		Alex Schalk
22y, 9m, 14d			Ade Azeez		Kenny van der Weg
26y, 7m, 7d			Sean Welsh		Paul Quinn
25y, 2m, 25d
35y, 7m, 5d			Thorsten Stuckmann		Aaron McCarey
25y, 6m, 9d			David Amoo		Erik Cikos
22y, 1m, 16d			David Wilson [ii]		Christopher Routis
20y, 11m, 0d			Declan McDaid		Jay McEveley
19y, 3m, 29d			David Syme		Tony Dingwall
23y, 5m, 29d			Ziggy Gordon		Chris Burke
17y, 10m, 0d			James Penrice		Greg Morrison

notes

Thistle generally in playing order, opposition in squad number order. PTFC reckon it was Paul Quinn who received County's second yellow in 50 mins, but PTFC's twitter/SPFL/BBC correctly say it was Craig Curran (confirmed by video footage).

Match Report

TTA report

A pen by Welsh (24, foul on Doolan) was all Thistle (adopting a 3-5-2 approach) had to show for almost complete dominance. County never looked likely but a bad injury to Lindsay disrupted things and an injury time drive (the defence backing off) made it 1-1. A pen scare was survived and Scully's boot saved a point.

Media report

Alasdair Lamont, 22-Oct-2016, bbc.com

Partick Thistle were pegged back late on by Ross County in the Scottish Premiership. Thistle got in front from the penalty spot, Sean Welsh netting after Ryan Dow had fouled Kris Doolan. County threatened when Craig Curran fired against the post. The hosts lost Liam Lindsay to a neck injury in the second half and Welsh threatened again before Chris Burke fired County level. It had appeared Thistle, who were the better side for much of the game, were about to record their first victory since the opening day of the season. But, just as they have done recently against Hamilton Academical and Hearts, they conceded a late goal to drop points. In fact, they could have lost all three points as Ryan Scully saved instinctively from Ryan Dow moments after Burke's equaliser. Alan Archibald will once again rue missed opportunities and a failure to capitalise on their overall dominance of the match. Lindsay's serious-looking injury after coming into collision with Scully and Andrew Davies caused disruption to the Thistle backline but the points should already have been safe.

Archibald's managerial acumen - despite Thistle's lowly league position - was recognised by Shrewsbury Town's enquiry this week. As he sought to put an end to his side's eight-game winless run, he shuffled his pack, dropping Adam Barton into a back three and using Callum Booth and Christie Elliott as wing-backs. Not only did that provide Thistle with energy and width, but it allowed their central midfield trio of Welsh, Abdul Osman and Ryan Edwards to dominate the County duo of Ian McShane and Martin Woods. It meant they bossed the game and though Lindsay had to be replaced by Ziggy Gordon, it appeared Thistle had found the means to finally win again. Just as Thistle's winless run continues, so does County's, though Jim McIntyre will be a lot happier that it does so with a draw rather than another defeat. They are now without a victory in seven matches, but Burke's injury-time strike at least put an end to their goalless streak. County scarcely threatened Scully's goal before that but did come within a couple of inches of an equaliser when Craig Curran steered a shot against the post. But the continuing absence of striker Liam Boyce through injury is hurting the Staggies and McIntyre will hope his return comes sooner rather than later.

Reaction

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald (speaking to the BBC):

We were very good, dominant for most of the match, but County nearly stole it. We need to turn those into victories. That's too many points that have been dropped at home.

Burke was bundled over in the box as County began to press in injury time before eventually grabbing the equaliser through the former Rangers and Scotland winger. Ross County manager Jim McIntyre:

It's a stonewall penalty. I've watched it back. If the ref deems the first one a penalty, that's every bit as much a penalty. He's got one right and one wrong. He's made a mistake so that's disappointing.

Video Highlights

(credit: SPFL YouTube )

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Stats Watch

THISTLE HIT LEAGUE MILESTONE

● The injured Steven Lawless misses out, ending his personal best competitive-game run in the team of 53-not-out.

● Thistle play their 4000th League fixture, becoming the 8th Scottish club to reach this milestone, just 7 days after Hibernian.

● Sean Welsh maintains his 100% spot-kick record - now 5/5, all in competitive action. Only 4 players with a 100% competitive record are believed to have ventured beyond this point: Bill Shankly (6); Gary Harkins (6); Ronnie Glavin (7); Jered Stirling (13).

● Kris Doolan comes off after 85 minutes, becoming the first Thistle player in history to be involved in 200 competitive substitutions.

● Ross County's first goal in almost 500 minutes salvages a point for them.

● All 3 of Adam Barton's games have been at Firhill and have ended in a draw.

● Still searching for their first competitive win of the season are Christie Elliott (5 games) and Ryan Scully (7 games).

ongoing sequences:

● 8 League games without a win; 20th Aug 2016 to date. (Longest run since: 12 games; 9th May 2015 to 26th Sep 2015. Club-record: 26 games; 28th Nov 1908 to 2nd Oct 1909.)

● 9 competitive games without a win, 9th Aug 2016 to date. (Longest run since: 13 games, 9th May 2015 to 26th Sep 2015. Club-record: 26 games, 28th Nov 1908 to 28th Aug 1909.)

● 27 consecutive competitive appearances for Ryan Edwards, 2nd Mar 2016 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Steven Lawless - 53 games; 9th Aug 2015 to 15th Oct 2016. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games; 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

● 47 away League games without a penalty award, 1st Mar 2014 to date. (Longest run since the club-record: 62 games; 1st Apr 1911 to 7th Nov 1914.*)

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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