The Thistle Archive

Teenager Scott Wright scored a hat-trick as Aberdeen ended their Scottish Premiership campaign by thumping Partick Thistle. The 19-year-old pounced twice in six first-half minutes after Ryan Christie's opener, and completed his treble after the break. On-loan Celtic player Christie bagged a second on the stroke of half-time. The midfielder's goal came after Jonny Hayes finished a sumptuous attacking move to score the Dons' fourth. The Firhill rout means Aberdeen have recorded their highest-ever top-flight points tally, finishing on a total of 76, 30 behind champions Celtic in second place. After their midweek dismantling by Brendan Rodgers' men, Thistle have now conceded 11 goals in their final two league fixtures.

Aberdeen could have been forgiven for going through the motions in a final league match that paled in significance compared to next week's Scottish Cup final meeting with Celtic. But it soon became apparent they had no intention of finishing the league season in anything but the style that has propelled them comfortably to the runners-up spot once again. From the moment Christie fired past the beleaguered Thistle keeper Mark Ridgers, they had the bit between their teeth, playing with energy, drive and no little skill. Wright took his first goal well but Aberdeen's third was hugely impressive as Kenny McLean played a perfectly-weighted pass for Wright to smash home. The fourth and fifth were also a joy to watch - Adam Rooney's clever dummy allowing Hayes to slide in and Christie superbly hammering Andrew Considine's cross past Ridgers. Granted Celtic are a different proposition and Wright is unlikely to keep Niall McGinn out of the starting line-up on such a big occasion, but McInnes knows he has an exciting option in the young forward. Ryan Jack's return to action off the bench, along with Peter Pawlett, means McInnes will have as close to a full-strength squad to pick from as possible, but the enforced absence of Christie is a blow, albeit one the manager will have long prepared for.

Thistle have faced both cup finalists in successive games and have shipped 11 goals with no reply. Alan Archibald's squad has run out of steam in dramatic fashion since clinching a top-six spot, with no wins in their final six matches. With 10 first-team players unavailable to Archibald for this match, the manager was forced to list only five players on the bench, with all four outfield players inexperienced youths. Ross Fleming, Mark Lamont and Neil McLaughlin were all thrown on in an unforgiving environment and should not be damaged in the long-term despite a humiliating defeat, which got no worse primarily because Aberdeen eased off in the final half-hour, preserving their energy for the biggest match of the season.

Partick Thistle boss Alan Archibald:

We'd 10 key first-team players out and I think it showed. There were a couple of guys playing out of position and didn't handle it very well and we were playing a good side as well. Our fans have been outstanding. You heard them singing throughout the game. I think they recognised today that we were up against it but it does leave a bit of a bad taste in the way we've finished the season. It lets us reflect over the summer. We won't be thinking we're this or we're that, there's realisation there we've got a lot of work to do.

Abderdeen manager Derek McInnes:

We scored some really fantastic goals, got some really strong individual performances, the clean sheet, minutes into players and real positives with young Scott Wright getting the hat-trick. I'm really pleased to come through without any injuries, which was the most important thing. To get 76 points and break our own record for a team outwith the Old Firm, I've been delighted with what the players have given me this league campaign, they deserve so much credit. Every day is an opportunity. We just said to Scott (Wright) go and play the way you've been training, which is really positive, and the way the game was, we managed to get that first pass into him and made it a running game for him and when he can run at people he lights the game up.

bbc.com

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A RECORD END-OF-SEASON HOME LOSS

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