The Thistle Archive

Partick Thistle ended a seven-game run without a win to move off the bottom of the Premiership with a comprehensive victory over Ross County in Dingwall. After a goalless first half, Liam Lindsay headed home from a corner for his sixth goal of the season. Kris Doolan, all alone six yards out, made it two as he headed home Callum Booth's cross from the left flank. Chris Erskine fired home the third before Liam Boyce headed in his 11th goal of the season for County late on. But it proved meagre consolation for the hosts, who slipped to a fourth home league defeat of the season and despite holding onto sixth place, are only four points off the bottom.

Consistent performance levels are usually rewarded and on this occasion Thistle got what they deserved. After an initially bright start from County, the visitors took control of the ball and played the game largely in their opponents' half. Erskine was unlucky to see a powerful effort parried, while Steven Lawless and Christie Elliot also had good chances and you wondered if Thistle might again rue their recent inability to convert them. But they stayed positive and early in the second half got the vital breakthrough. Lawless' shot was blocked for a corner from which Lindsay timed his run perfectly, rising above everyone to power his header past Scott Fox. Then Doolan seized his opportunity to direct a header into the corner to effectively seal the win just after the hour. Fox gathered a long-range Erskine effort but the midfielder was not to be denied, twisting in the box to fire home into the top-right corner and earn Thistle a resounding win. It lifted them three places up to ninth, and if they maintain this form, they will be looking up rather than down for the rest of the season.

There was a tangible confidence about County early on after an excellent win against Aberdeen and a six-game unbeaten run, Tim Chow and Chris Routis both firing efforts wide. But from there the home side were unable to retain possession and build any sustained pressure. Tony Dingwall did have one surging run through the middle but couldn't produce a finish. At 2-0 down their best chance fell to Boyce, who wheeled away from two defenders only to be denied by a wonderful Tomas Cerny save. With that their chance of a comeback seemed to evaporate, but Boyce did grab his fifth goal in six games with a late header from Marcus Fraser's right-wing cross. Victory would have taken County eight points clear of Thistle, but defeat drags them back into the bottom-seven dogfight ahead of a challenging trip to runaway leaders Celtic.

County boss Jim McIntyre:

It's extremely disappointing. It was a chance for us to get back to back wins for the first time this season at home. Conditions were difficult but there were too many misplaced passes, we didn't win enough individual battles either. We've lost two goals to set plays which we've done really well at lately. That was particularly disappointing. We've got to take it on the chin. Credit to them, they took their chances. We need to lick our wounds and get ready for Celtic.

Thistle boss Alan Archibald:

We did a lot of things very, very well. We worked hard for chances tonight. The first one got us on the way and that gave us the confidence to go and build on it. We were clinical at the right times. We're getting that consistency. Hopefully the corner is turned. We need to make sure we get our rewards at home as well and turn draws into victories as we've not won enough home games. This gives us a platform to build on.

bbc.com

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KRIS DOOLAN, PARTICK THISTLE GOALS CENTURION

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