4th Feb 2017 Aberdeen 2 Partick Thistle 0 (SPFL Premiership - game 24)

matches:2016-17: ← 34game 3536 →

Match Information

			Derek McInnes		Alan Archibald			39y, 6m, 22d
					Mustapha Dumbuya; Danny Devine; Abdul Osman; David Amoo
					Callum Booth; Niall Keown; Chris Erskine; Sean Welsh
Jayden Stockley (0-1, 71 mins); Ryan Christie (0-2, 90+2 mins)
Niall McGinn (0-1, 71 mins); Jayden Stockley (0-2, 90+2 mins)
Ryan Jack; Andrew Considine
Shay Logan (Ryan Christie, 64 mins); Mark Reynolds (Jayden Stockley, 64 mins); Adam Rooney (Anthony O'Connor, 83 mins)					Kris Doolan (Ade Azeez, 58 mins); David Amoo (Chris Erskine, 73 mins); Ryan Edwards (Kevin Nisbet, 81 mins)
			Joe Lewis		Tomáš Černý			31y, 9m, 25d
			Shay Logan		Mustapha Dumbuya			29y, 5m, 28d
			Graeme Shinnie		Christie Elliott			25y, 8m, 9d
			Andrew Considine		Liam Lindsay			21y, 3m, 23d
			Ash Taylor		Danny Devine			24y, 4m, 28d
			Mark Reynolds		Abdul Osman			29y, 11m, 8d
			Kenny McLean		Adam Barton			26y, 0m, 28d
			Adam Rooney		David Amoo			25y, 9m, 22d
			Niall McGinn		Kris Doolan			30y, 1m, 24d
			Jonny Hayes		Steven Lawless			25y, 9m, 23d
			Ryan Jack		Ryan Edwards			23y, 2m, 18d
								26y, 8m, 14d
			Neil Alexander		Mark Ridgers			26y, 5m, 26d
			Anthony O'Connor		Sean Welsh			26y, 10m, 20d
			Peter Pawlett		Chris Erskine			29y, 11m, 27d
			Ryan Christie		Ade Azeez			23y, 0m, 27d
			Jayden Stockley		Niall Keown			21y, 9m, 30d
			future Jag Miles Storey		Jason Banton			24y, 1m, 20d
			Scott Wright		Kevin Nisbet			19y, 10m, 27d

notes

Thistle generally in playing order, opposition in squad number order.

Match Report

TTA report

Aberdeen were restricted to a few chances by a solid defensive display. Elliott, Edwards and Azeez should all have done better with the few chances Thistle made. 3 substitutions for the Dons made the difference and a header from a corner (71) made it 1-0. A 2nd from close in from a cut-back (92) was slightly flattering.

Media report

Scott Davie, 04-Feb-2017, bbc.com

Aberdeen moved up to second place in the Premiership with a hard-fought win over Partick Thistle at Pittodrie. Jayden Stockley came off the bench to power in a header from Niall McGinn's corner on 72 minutes. Fellow substitute Ryan Christie scored his first Dons goal late on, driving home following good work from Stockley. Thistle midfielder Ryan Edwards nodded wide from close range at the start of the second half and Ade Azeez later clipped the outside of the post. With Rangers held by Ross County at Ibrox, Derek McInnes's side were able to jump a place on goal difference.

The Firhill men defended well but paid the price for a recurring failure to take their chances. Christie Elliott, in the first half, and Edwards and substitute Azeez after the break, all squandered golden opportunities. The visitors have now dropped down to ninth place and have gone 406 minutes without scoring a league goal, taking just four points in 12 matches against teams in the top-five places in the Premiership.

The difference between the sides could be seen in the quality on the Dons bench, and the manager was certainly bold in using the substitutes. Defenders Shay Logan and Mark Reynolds were sacrificed with Stockley and Christie taking over as Aberdeen switched to a three-man back line. That adventurous approach paid dividends within eight minutes as Stockley rose to nod in a McGinn corner to break the deadlock after Tomas Cerny had pushed away a Jonny Hayes shot. Stockley then set up Christie to settle the game in stoppage time. Aberdeen, who went close through Ash Taylor and Kenny McLean in the first half, play their game in hand on Rangers against Motherwell on 15 February at Pittodrie. Given the depth of the squad he has to call on, McInnes is in a good position to go on and clinch that runners-up spot for the third season in a row.

Reaction

Partick Thistle assistant Scott Paterson (speaking to the BBC):

That has been the story of our season so far as we put so much into the game but end up with nothing. There were a lot of positive to take out of it again but it was really disappointing to lose a goal from a set-piece having defended very well for most of the day. Fair play to the players as we have been creating chances all season and they do keep going but we have to take them when you come to places like Pittodrie. They are showing character but the season is getting on now and we have to start taking these chances before it comes back to bight us on the backside.

Aberdeen's Derek McInnes (speaking to the BBC):

It was a tough afternoon as we struggled to get any real momentum or rhythm in our play but I'm delighted we dug in to get the win, especially after a tough game at Celtic Park. We asked the players at half time to get the tempo in our play and we changed the shape and got good quality players on the park. Ryan Christie started finding those pockets of space in what was a good display and it was a real bonus for him to get a goal as well as it's important for him to show what he can do for the team. Jayden Stockley deserves a lot of credit too as he works so hard for his opportunities and he took his goal well so it is great to have the options we have available.

Scrapbook

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Sunday Mail, 6th February, 2017

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Stats Watch

FIRING BLANKS

● Jason Banton becomes the 31st player to be listed in a competitive Thistle team-sheet in 2016-17.

● For the first time in competitive action, nine non-Scots appear for Thistle. Further history was made with the introduction of Ade Azeez in the 58th minute, meaning this was the first match ever to feature 9 non-Scots on the field for Thistle at the same time.

● For the first time in competitive action, eight non-Scots appear in the Thistle starting eleven.

● For the third time, Archie's Jags have failed to score in 4 consecutive League games. There's never been a longer run in the top-flight. The category record of 5-in-a-row was set in December 2004 by Gerry Britton / Derek Whyte's team in the First Division and was equalled in April 2010 by Ian McCall's side, also in the First Division.

● Thistle are 9 competitive games without a win versus Aberdeen (30.08.2014 to date), the longest run since the H2H record of 18, set between 1979-1993.

ongoing sequences:

● 4 consecutive League games in which Thistle have failed to score; 31st Dec 2016 to date. (Longest run since: 4 games; 22nd Aug 2015 to 19th Sep 2015. Joint club-record: 5 games; 13th Nov 2004 to 4th Dec 2004 & 27th Mar 2010 to 19th Apr 2010.)

● 30 consecutive competitive appearances for Ade Azeez, 15th July 2016 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Ryan Edwards - 39 games; 2nd Mar 2016 to 31st Dec 2016. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games; 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

● 56 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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