19th Nov 2016 Motherwell 2 Partick Thistle 0 (SPFL Premiership - game 13)

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matches:2016-17: ← 21game 2223 →

Match Information

			Mark McGhee		Alan Archibald			39y, 4m, 6d
					Chris Erskine
					Kris Doolan
Louis Moult (0-1, 14 mins); Scott McDonald (0-2, 38 mins)
Scott McDonald (0-1, 14 mins); Louis Moult (0-2, 38 mins)
Richard Tait					Danny Devine; Sean Welsh; Abdul Osman; Callum Booth
					Ryan Edwards (Kris Doolan, HT); Chris Erskine (Steven Lawless, 67 mins); Christie Elliott (David Amoo, 75 mins)
			Craig Samson		Thorsten Stuckmann			35y, 8m, 2d
			Richard Tait		Christie Elliott			25y, 5m, 24d
			Ben Heneghan		Callum Booth			25y, 5m, 20d
			Stephen McManus		Liam Lindsay			21y, 1m, 7d
			Louis Moult		Danny Devine			24y, 2m, 12d
			Chris Cadden		Adam Barton			25y, 10m, 12d
			Keith Lasley		Abdul Osman			29y, 8m, 23d
			Craig Clay		Ryan Edwards			23y, 0m, 2d
			David Ferguson		Ade Azeez			22y, 10m, 11d
			future Jag Jack McMillan		Chris Erskine			29y, 9m, 11d
			future Jag Scott McDonald		Sean Welsh			26y, 8m, 4d
								26y, 4m, 8d
			Dean Brill		Tomáš Černý			31y, 7m, 9d
			Lionel Ainsworth		David Amoo			25y, 7m, 6d
			Ryan Bowman		Kris Doolan			29y, 11m, 8d
			Kieran Kennedy		Steven Lawless			25y, 7m, 7d
			Allan Campbell		David Wilson [ii]			22y, 2m, 13d
			Ross MacLean		Declan McDaid			20y, 11m, 28d
			future Jag Jake Hastie		Ziggy Gordon			23y, 6m, 27d

notes

Thistle generally in playing order, opposition in squad number order. PTFC reckon it was Louis Molt who received Motherwell's yellow in 90 mins, but MFC's twitter/SPFL/BBC say it was Richard Tait and we go with them.

Match Report

TTA report

A poor performance making it 13 without a win at Fir Park. Stuckmann and Lindsay collided leaving a tap-in (13) and poor marking led to curling shot (38). A marginally better second half saw a few chances made but Motherwell nullified the 3-5-2 formation and they were mostly quite comfortable. Down to 10th.

Media report

Chris McLaughlin, 19-Nov-2016, bbc.com

Goals from Louis Moult and Scott McDonald helped Motherwell down Partick Thistle and climb into the Scottish Premiership top six. Moult capitalised on flailing Thistle goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann to guide in McDonald's cross from the left. And Moult returned the compliment as he squared for his Australian colleague to curl neatly past Stuckmann. Chris Cadden hit the bar after the break and Ade Azeez had Thistle's best chance, but headed over from 10 yards. The result means Thistle have yet to win at Fir Park on Premiership duty, with Well recording just their second win in seven league games. The hosts went into this match with just two wins in their past 12 games. Manager Mark McGhee knew something had to change. The Scotland assistant boss decided to match Partick Thistle with three at the back but it was the two at the front who did the damage.

When Moult and McDonald click, it's a joy to watch and they certainly clicked in the first half, when the damage was done. McDonald was provider for the the first. His cross from the left led to Stuckmann clashing with his central defenders and when the ball fell to Moult at the back post, he had a simple tap-in for his eighth goal of the season. Just after the half-hour Moult's ball from the right hand side found his strike partner and McDonald swept the ball beautifully past Stuckmann. Alan Archibald's side were looking for their third away league win in a row but in truth, never really looked like they'd secure it. They stroked the ball around well in spells but there was little in the way of a cutting edge. Azeez looked lively with the ball at his feet when Thistle enjoyed more possession in the second half, but when he found space for a shot they were always wayward. McGhee had asked his players before this game to turn performances into points and they answered his call. The Steelmen looked hungrier and were first to the loose balls all across the pitch. The clinical finishing in front of goal was matched by a work-rate that was deserving of the three points. It's a Motherwell side that has proved what it's capable of; the key now to climbing the table is consistency.

Reaction

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

Motherwell deserved their win. We couldn't handle their front pairing. We had three centre-backs playing today and we couldn't get to grips with them. We had a little flurry in the second half but we just couldn't get back into the game. The boys have been playing well collectively and we know we have a big run of games coming up but we have big characters.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee (speaking to the BBC):

We changed our shape today and we didn't give Thistle a lot of room. I thought we won the battles all over the park and worked very very hard. (Scott) McDonald always amazes you, doesn't he? He plays against all these huge defenders and he still manages to take the ball down and control it. The strikers played very well today. Equally pleasing is that we have a clean sheet for the first time this season.

Scrapbook

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The Sun, 19th November, 2016

Video Highlights

Option 1: extended highlights

(credit: Motherwell FC )

Option 2: short highlights

(credit: SPFL YouTube )

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Stats Watch

FIR PARK HOODOO CONTINUES

● Chris Erskine registers his 200th competitive appearance in Thistle colours.

● In nearly 14 years, there have only been 2 occasions when the opposition haven't utilised a substitute versus Thistle; Mark McGhee's Motherwell done it in February of this year and did so again in this match. His side registered 2 goal winning margins on both occasions.

● Thistle are now 12 competitive games without a win at Fir Park, 10th August 2002 to date, a new H2H record.

● Thistle are now 11 League games without a win at Fir Park, 10th August 2002 to date, a new H2H record.

● This is the 9th competitive fixture between the sides without a repeated outcome, a mixed run which stretches from 4th October 2014 to date.

ongoing sequences:

● 6 competitive games without a home win; 27th Aug 2016 to date. (Longest run since: 6 games; 16th May 2015 to 12th Sep 2015. Club-record: 13 games; 13th Apr 1988 to 3rd Dec 1988.)

● 6 home League games without a win; 27th Aug 2016 to date. (Longest run since the joint club-record: 15 games; 16th Apr 2013 to 1st Feb 2014 & 5th Dec 1908 to 11th Dec 1909.)

● 31 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.)

● 50 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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