The Thistle Archive

Scott Lorimer, 11-Dec-2021, The Courier

Arbroath ended Partick Thistle’s clean sheet record with a deserved 2-0 away win at Firhill. Prior to the game Thistle hadn’t conceded a goal in eight games but a first-half stoppage-time header from Anton Dowds ended a run of 766 minutes of football without conceding. A Liam Henderson header in the second half compounded the Jag’s misery on a blustery afternoon in the north of Glasgow. Dick Campbell made two changes to his squad, with Liam Henderson and Anton Dowds coming into the starting line up. Ricky Little missed out due to a concussion and Luke Donnelly dropped to the bench.

It was a lively start to the game for the home side taking the game to the Lichties, who were happy to sit back and absorb the pressure. Arbroath’s counter-attacking tactics soon started to pay-off with several chances from Stewart, Dowds and Craigen going a begging. Partick did start to pick up the urgency towards the end of the half, but up popped Anton Dowds to ruin their clean sheet record from a simply set piece routine. An in-swinging James Craigen corner right on the stroke of half-time was nodded in by the on-loan Falkirk striker.

The second half started off much the same as the first ended with the home supporters getting increasingly frustrated at their side’s inability to break through the Arbroath defence. Arbroath were denied a second on 56 minutes by Richard Forster clearing a Scott Stewart shot off the line. Neat foot work from Joel Nouble played in Stewart on the edge of the box. The forward curved his shot around keeper Jamie Sneddon but Foster made a remarkable clearance to stop a certain goal. Shortly after, Craigen missed a glorious chance at the back post after the ball bobbled through to him but he scuffed his effort wide from only a few yards out. Partick’s best chance of the game came on 63 minutes when a cross from right was headed on to the bar by Ross MacIver, before Arbroath cleared their lines. The Lichties made it two on 78 minutes after substitute Dale Hilson was fouled on the touchline. Michael McKenna‘s free kick floated into the box and Liam Henderson headed in at the back post. Arbroath continued to trouble Partick but it stayed 2-0 and Dick Campbell’s side moved up to third.

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

Arbroath thoroughly deserved to win that today which is very frustrating because I thought we were doing alright for the first half an hour but then Cammy Smith goes off and that seemed to hurt us a lot. Then, we concede that goal on half-time and that’s a real sucker punch too. Coming out for the second half we had a few moments early on but we let it fizzle out. They really should have scored a couple of their chances after that but eventually they did get that second goal and reflecting on the 90 minutes, you can’t say they didn’t deserve to win. We knew coming into the game that they were going to be a threat from set pieces so of course it’s really disappointing that they’ve beaten us with two. We could have defended both of them better but, to be honest, I’m going back into the dressing room to a defence who have kept eight clean sheets in a row and I’m finding it tough to give them too much stick. We knew the defensive run was going to come to an end at some point and, realistically, today they could have scored four or five if they were really clinical so we now just have to put this game behind us and look to get back to what we’ve been doing well recently next weekend.

Option 1: the goals with replays

SPFL / Partick Thistle

Option 2: the goals with replays from alternative angle

Arbroath FC

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