The Thistle Archive

Adam Rooney's header maintained Aberdeen's winning start to the Scottish Premiership season at the expense of winless Partick Thistle. Chris Erskine and Kris Doolan put Thistle ahead after Ryan Christie's opener, but Kenny McLean levelled from the penalty spot. Scott Wright, with a fine curling effort, then Niall Keown both netted. But substitute Rooney nodded home Christie's cross to send the Dons top of the league. Keown was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time to compound Thistle's misery. The Dons have now won all four of their opening league fixtures, and sit at the Premiership summit with 12 points from 12, while the Jags are still seeking their first points of the season.

Having won on their five previous visits to Firhill, including a 6-0 thumping last time round, Aberdeen had every right to approach the game confidently. Indeed Stevie May had tested Tomas Cerny before 20 seconds had elapsed as Derek McInnes's side began the game purposefully. Thistle failed to heed that warning though and with the home defence dozing, Christie was able to collect Greg Stewart's pass and turn the ball past the keeper with the minimum of fuss. That start must have alarmed Alan Archibald but his side's response was immediate. Erskine created a bit of room just outside the penalty area and although he didn't strike the ball cleanly, it crept beyond the diving Joe Lewis and into the bottom corner. And the home fans' angst turned to delight shortly afterwards when Doolan pounced on a loose ball inside the six-yard box. There was a lull following that flurry of early action, but the game once again sprung to life when Christie went down under a needless shove from Stuart Bannigan and McLean sent Cerny the wrong way from the spot.

There was no let-up in the excitement after the interval and Wright, who scored a hat-trick here in May, again gave notice of his burgeoning talent with a goal of supreme quality, curling the ball over Cerny from the angle of the penalty area. But Thistle's response was swift once more and Keown headed them level from Blair Spittal's corner. McInnes was desperate for all three points to preserve their 100 per-cent record and threw on Rooney alongside May up front. Cruel as it must have felt for Thistle, Aberdeen were rewarded for their valour as the Irishman glanced a Christie cross beyond Cerny. Thistle were angered on a number of occasions by the decision-making of referee Bobby Madden but he had little option other than to show a late second yellow to Keown for a reckless foul on McLean. The home side remain pointless but can take some solace from their contribution to a fabulous game of football.

At the other end of the table [from his opposite number], Alan Archibald's Partick Thistle are still seeking their first point of the domestic campaign:

We put a lot into the game - to score three goals against a good Aberdeen side, we should be taking something from it. There's real disappointment. I think there was a maybe a bit of fear towards the end of the game - I think that comes into it when you've not won a game - and we get a little bit deep. There was a lot of bad defending from both sides, but we put out an attacking line-up and we justified it with some good goals as well. There are positives there, but the negative is we've come away with nothing.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes hailed the resilience of Adam Rooney, after the fit-again striker scored the winning goal against Partick Thistle:

I'm pleased for Adam; it's been stop-start with his injuries. He's had to watch others play ahead of him while working his way back. We've got good options on the bench, not just to go like-for-like, but to change it and go 4-4-2. Adam also gives us a bit more height and he's a bit more trustworthy at defending set-plays. But it was more important we got Adam on for what he can do in the opposition box. I thought he did very well to get on to Ryan Christie's cross and it's just the faintest of touches. Adam knows exactly where the goal is and he's done that time and time again for us. We wanted to get into the last eight of the League Cup and win four out of four [in the league]. It's easy saying it, but it's about actually imposing ourselves and going out and doing it. In terms of the international break coming at the wrong time, possibly, but we've been back two months now from the early start for Europe, so I actually think it's something the players have been working towards. We've got a few days off, the ones that aren't away with their country, and we'll be back in preparing for Hearts the following week.

bbc.com

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JOY AND PAIN FOR THE MARYHILL MASOCHISTS

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