The Thistle Archive

Sat-10-Apr-2021, peterheadfc.org

Peterhead went down 3-0 to visitors Partick Thistle with goals either side of half-time taking the game away from the hosts. Manager Jim McInally made two starting changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Forfar Athletic on Tuesday night with Jordon Brown coming in for the suspended Andrew McCarthy and Niah Payne replaced Ben Armour.

The Blue Toon started brightly and won the game’s first corner on 5 minutes however the visiting defence stood firm and the danger was cleared. Peterhead continued to press and looked set to take the lead on 13 minutes when Jordon Brown fired for goal however his effort took a deflection and whistled past a Thistle post. Ross Docherty was on the spot for the visitors to head the resultant corner away from goal. The game began to have a more balanced feel with Docherty bringing a save out of Joshua Rae in the home goal just before the half hour mark. Brian Graham sent a shot high over the home bar with Connor Murray denied by Rae as Thistle began to take charge and the Glasgow side grabbed the opener on 40 minutes. Murray sent a low cross into the home box and Joe Cardle turned the ball home however Peterhead responded well to that set-back with Scott Brown going close to an equaliser before the break with a 25 yard free-kick.

Manager McInally was forced into making his second substitution at half-time with Simon Ferry joining Ryan Conroy in picking up a knock with Kieran McGrath coming on at the break to join up with Kyle Bailey who was brought on just before the half-time whistle. A long clearance from Thistle goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon helped set up their second goal five minutes into the restart with Cardle released and his cross was perfect for Scott Tiffoney to tap in. Just before the hour mark Rae got his fingertips onto a header from Brian Graham to prevent Thistle going further ahead however from the resultant corner the striker scored when he nodded in. A stunned home side looked to get back into the game and Scott Brown went close with another free kick however the visitors saw the game out without too much threat on their goal with Zak Rudden going close to adding a fourth goal. The defeat leaves Peterhead in seventh place nine points ahead of bottom side Forfar and four in front of second bottom Dumbarton with Ian McCall’s side moving up to third.

Neither team took much credit in a poor 1st half until Cardle finished off a Murray cross (39). Thistle had virtually all the play after h-t. Tiffoney' s header from a Cardle cross (52) and Graham's header off the post (misjudged by the keeper) (60) put Thistle well in control. They saw the game out comfortably and moved up to 3rd.

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

I’m delighted with that performance and it’s exactly what we’ve been crying out for all season, to be honest. We were professional, we defended well and we killed the game off when we got the chance to which just made it comfortable for us later on. To get three different scorers was great as well. We’ve looked a much better attacking team recently and we continued that today but we were comfortable at the back for the majority of the game too. This was never going to be an easy game and you could see that with the way the game started. Balmoor is a tough place to come to but we did a really good job today and were deserved winners really.