The Thistle Archive

Aberdeen moved back into second place in the Premiership and ended Partick Thistle's four-match unbeaten run. Partick wasted good first-half chances through Ade Azeez and Daniel Devine. They were made to pay for those misses when Anthony O'Connor drove Aberdeen into the lead after Adam Rooney touched on Andrew Considine's header. Adam Barton headed Partick level, but Jayden Stockley restored the Dons' lead with an excellent lob over goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann. During a minute's silence prior to kick-off in advance of Remembrance Sunday all that could be heard was distant firework displays. However, if there were expectations of an explosive start to this encounter, in particular from the in-form home side, it failed to materialise.

The visitors rejigged their formation to accommodate Thistle's three centre-backs and they enjoyed the majority of possession for the opening period. The talented James Maddison was at the centre of a lot of the Dons' early offensive moves but the home defence held firm. A Stockley shot that Stuckmann saved low to his right was the biggest threat. Thistle did eventually get into their stride and should have taken the lead through Azeez. The striker had a glorious opportunity when Christie Elliot set him up with fine through ball. Azeez just needed to lob the ball over the advancing Joe Lewis to claim the opener, but he failed to get enough elevation on his effort and the goalkeeper stretched his arms to save. Azeez had an another effort from an overhead kick which flew over the bar but he was not the only Thistle player to miss a great chance in the first half. Devine sent a half-volley high over the bar from six yards after a Sean Welsh corner when he should have hit the back of the net. Thistle were to regret those misses six minutes before the interval when O'Connor gave the Dons the breakthrough. Maddison chipped the ball to the back post, and Considine headed it down for Rooney to set up his fellow Irishman to fire home a low shot for his first goal for the club.

It took Thistle only five minutes of the second half to equalise. A corner from the right saw Barton emulate O'Connor by claiming his first for the Firhill club. Barton looked to be impeded by McLean as he tried to get on the end of Welsh's delivery, but that still did not stop the tall defender rising high to power a header into the top corner. Aberdeen regained the lead almost immediately, courtesy of a brilliant goal from Stockley, who provided the perfect example of how to lob the goalkeeper. The Dons striker latched on to a neat pass from Maddison and from around 25 yards chipped over the advancing Stuckmann with his left foot. It was Stockley's fourth goal of the campaign and thrilled the 1,365 visiting support. Thistle rallied near the end as they sought an equaliser but Chris Erskine's left-foot shot from a Declan McDaid flicked pass was well saved by Lewis. The goalkeeper did well again as he denied Devine who sent the last kick of the match into his hands, which ensured the visitors earned the victory.

Partick Thistle's Alan Archibald:

Obviously disappointed with the result but I thought out performance was good in patches. I thought we created the better chances in the first half. We went for it, we wanted to have a go, we didn't want to go in a whimper. I thought we did that but it just didn't fall for us in the right place.”

Aberdeen's Derek McInnes:

Very good performance. By and large to compose ourselves as an away team against a good Thistle team, we're delighted we managed to do that tonight. We didn't expect to come here and get it all our own way but there's no doubt the better team won the game.”

bbc.com

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DÉJÀ VU vs DONS

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