 Media report |
A courageous Dan O’Reilly header was enough for Partick Thistle to claim the honours on a dreich day at Cappielow, as they ran out 1-0 winners over Greenock Morton. The fixture was a crucial battle in the race for the final promotion play-off place. Morton’s draw at home to Raith Rovers in midweek left the Inverclyde side in fifth, four points behind Thistle. Kyle Turner made way for Kanayo Megwa, while Alex Jakubiak came in for Aidan Fitzpatrick as Thistle went two up front. The microclimate at Costa Del Cappielow was in full effect as the teams emerged in torrential rain, with a strong cold wind. Despite the weather, a healthy contingent of Thistle fans braved the elements to cheer the team on from the exposed steps of the Wee Dublin End.
It was the Jags who put on the pressure in the opening minutes, with chances for Logan Chalmers and Josh Reid causing Morton’s defence problems in the first ten minutes. Morton soon worked their way into the game though, with Cammy Blues finding himself in space within range on 12 minutes, before shanking his effort wide of the post. Morton started to get on top, as Thistle toiled in the conditions and for most of the first half Brian Graham’s men found themselves pushed back. Despite conceding territory, neither goalkeeper was overly challenged with Morton’s superior possession yielding little in front of goal.
Morton looked to press from the get-go in the second half. Nathan Shaw hit a low left footed shot from outside the box seconds after the restart, forcing Lewis Budinauckas into his first meaningful save of the game. Minutes later, Aaron Lyall also stung the gloves of Budinauckas, forcing the young Jags keeper to make a save as the Greenock side aimed to pick up where they left off in the first half. After playing into the wind in the first half, Thistle had to adapt as the blustery conditions calmed down during the break. In the fifty-sixth minute, Thistle found an opening. Alex Jakubiak broke through the Morton backline to find himself through on goal, before firing his shot well wide. It was Jakubiak’s final action of the game, as he was subbed off two minutes later along with Luke McBeth, replaced by Fitzpatrick and Turner. The introduction of Fitzpatrick saw Thistle improve immediately, drawing a free kick out of Morton after a darting run. The dead ball was quickly passed to Fitzpatrick and his low cross found Robbie Crawford, whose effort was inches wide.
Fitzpatrick would find himself repeatedly in pockets of space, coming close on 68 minutes, after being set up by Stuart Bannigan. Morton got off the hook with Mullen’s boot the only thing keeping the ball out from goal. Dougie Imrie’s men were not out the match though. They could have taken the lead on 66 minutes when Ali Crawford’s corner was swung into a packed box. Despite even a feather touch being enough to put Morton in front, the ball sailed wide as it remained goalless. After squeezing the Ton since Fitzpatrick came on, Thistle finally made the breakthrough on 73 minutes. Thistle loaded the box for a free kick, after Brian Graham was brought down. Turner swung the kick deep into the box and Morton keeper Ryan Mullen came out to try collect the ball, but O’Reilly got to it first, The imperious Irishman showed great bravery, diving onto a header that trickled over the line to give the Red and Yellow Army the lead. Buoyed by the goal, Thistle went in search of a second; coming close on 86 minutes when another free kick found its way to the head of Graham, but the striker struggled to keep his balance as the attempt went wide. Morton had one last effort to equalise, with a Crawford free kick in added time. Bannigan was able to confidently head the ball to safety and ensure Thistle took all three points back down the road to The Wyre Stadium at Firhill.
The result sees Thistle extend the gap over Morton to seven points. Raith Rovers’ 3-0 win over Hamilton today sees them leapfrog Morton into fifth. The Kirkcaldy outfit are now our closest rivals for the promotion play-off spots, six points behind. Partick Thistle are next in Championship action on Saturday the 5th of April, with a trip to the Albert Bartlett Stadium to take on bottom placed Airdrieonians.
 Reaction |
Partick Thistle interim co-manager Brian Graham (speaking to Jagzone):
It's a massive three points in the context of this season. We know nothing's done but this is one of the hardest venues in the league to come and win at, it's notorious for it and it's a tight pitch. Morton have been on a good run of late, but we knew how we wanted to play this week and there were a couple of opportunities in the first half that we'd worked on in training, but some bad touches just put the plan off, bear in mind we were up against the wind in the first half as well. We knew we had to battle today, it was about the group staying together and battling for each other because sometimes that's what it's all about down here, winning second balls, and I thought Bannigan was excellent in the middle of the park. When we went to a back four I thought our two full backs were phenomenal as well, they won all their duels. The last time we were down here we lost a late goal because we let a silly cross come in, but today you see how tenacious our full backs were at stopping those balls into the box. Overall, a fantastic three points.
Grant Gillespie
Owen Moffat
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