The Thistle Archive

Goals from Peter Hartley, Craig Tanner and Ryan Bowman secured victory for an impressive Motherwell against Partick Thistle. The home side dominated and although top scorer Louis Moult didn't find the net, he was prominent for Motherwell. Moult's free-kick hit the post in the first-half, with Hartley converting the rebound from close range. Tanner added the second after the break from Richard Tait's cross, with Bowman finishing crisply for the third. Moult saw a second-half effort deflected wide, with Motherwell's dominance of possession reflected in the number of chances they created. Motherwell's victory leaves Partick Thistle second bottom of the Premiership and still looking for their first league win of the season.

The home side delivered the first effort of the game, which came from Moult as he created space on the edge of the penalty area. But his defected shot was held by Partick Thistle Tomas Cerny low to his right. Cerny was involved again moments later, as he escaped with a yellow card when he clattered Bowman after advancing out of his area to try to clear a Moult through pass. From the resultant free kick, Motherwell opened the scoring. Moult's strike from the set piece rebounded off the right-hand post and Hartley adjusted his footing six yards out to knock the ball over the line for his second goal of the season. The home side came close to doubling their lead with two fine efforts. Moult's shot was superbly saved by Cerny then fell to Chris Cadden and his follow-up effort was blocked on the line by Partick defender Paul McGinn. Thistle haven't won at Fir Park since January 1996 and on their showing in the early exchanges that statistic did not look like changing. The tenacious style of Motherwell's midfield did not allow the visitors to settle and only a cross from Miles Storey which Kris Doolan managed to get his head on looked like a threat to Trevor Carson's goal, but it flew well wide.

Thistle began the second half livelier than they finished the first. Blair Spittal saw a free kick blocked by 'Well's defensive wall, then McGinn fired wide from the edge of the area. But 'Well were still dangerous and doubled their lead through Tanner. Richard Tait cut the ball back from the left and the former Reading midfielder met it first time on his left foot to claim his second goal of the season. Partick manager Alan Archibald rang the changes as he looked for his side to get back in the game. Doolan, Danny Devine and Spittal all made way for Conor Sammon, Chris Erskine and Steven Lawless as he looked for a response in the last half hour. But it was Motherwell who continued to dominate and Moult watched in agony as his shot took a deflection before clipping the outside of the post. Elliot Frear, who had replaced Moult, tried his luck from a wide left area, but Cerny did well to turn the ball round the post. But from the resultant corner kick, Thistle struggled to clear their lines and Bowman took full advantage to shoot high into the net from eight yards.

Motherwell manager Steve Robinson described the win as his side's "most important result of the season" and praised the players for showing that there is more to their side than the goals of top scorer Louis Moult:

We showed we are a good team. Moulty was excellent, his holdup play was as good as it's been for us. But we have got other players as well. People say it's a one-man team, but it isn't: Louis would be the first to recognise that. Three different scorers, and we're happy with that. We thought [Tanner] might be able to find little pockets in behind and he did. He got better as the game went on.

Alan Archibald was asked, "was it Partick's worst performance of the season?"

It probably was. We didn't cause them any problems, we didn't work their goalkeeper. We started poorly, we knew what was coming, the style of their play and their good players. We didn't stop it, then lost a poor first goal. A lot of our play we played into their hands, which was disappointing when we've been really positive in our last four or five outings. It was basic stuff, clear your lines, and the corner typified that at the end when they picked up the ball three times [then Bowman's] goal typified our whole performance. There's pressure every week, with every game you take on. It doesn't change that, but the next home game against Kilmarnock is massive.

bbc.com

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