The Thistle Archive

Ross Pilcher, 14-Mar-2020, Edinburgh Live

Those who didn’t start yesterday’s 2-0 Championship win over Ayr United, along with a handful of youngsters, were given a run out at Firhill as the League One side prepared for their return to action. Aidy White was deployed as a right back with the international ‘break’ in mind, when Hearts will likely be without Michael Smith who’s set to join up with the Northern Ireland squad for their World Cup qualifiers, beginning in Italy. Youngster Cammy Logan, who would have been a natural back up for Smith had he not been on loan at Cove Rangers, was at left back. Peter Haring, currently suspended after his red card against Dundee, continued his return to match fitness is midfield, while yesterday’s second goalscorer Jamie Walker was in from the start as well.

The hosts took the lead after 15 minutes when Brian Graham’s pass picked out the run of Shea Gordon, and he stayed cool to slot the ball beyond Ross Stewart. Four minutes before the break however, Hearts were level. Euan Henderson drove infield from the left hand side and drilled a low shot through a crowd of bodies and into the corner past Kieran right. It was Henderson’s third goal in as many games, having netted a double in the 3-1 bounce game win over Motherwell last week. The visitors took the lead three minutes before the hour when Christophe Berra rose highest to meet a cross from the right ad head home - just over two years and at the same end as his Scottish Cup goal against the same opponents.

Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall, via ptfc.co.uk

I thought there was a lot to like about it. I thought in the first half we were excellent. We had three great chances and scored one of them. Shea did really well with his run and it was a good finish into the corner of the net. It’s a dying art the runs he makes and he was unlucky with a couple in the first half of the season but that will do his confidence the wonder of good. There was rustiness and there will be tiredness but we got everyone a bit of game time on the pitch which was the purpose of playing. It was a tough match against players who have been training right through the time we’ve been away. There were a lot of good individual performances in the game today. I thought the front two were lively and worked well. Defensively I thought Darren Brownlie was excellent and Mouhamed Niang had a good game too. We changed things up and used all ten substitutes so that caused the second half to get a bit flat but we needed to get everyone gametime. There is a long, long way to go but it was a good start.

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