One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

Dundee v Partick Thistle – League Cup Second Round

26 August 2008  Dens Park 7.30

Reporter: Sandy Fyfe

Scorers: Dundee - McHale 78  Thistle - Maxwell 75, Harkins 87.

Attendance: 2,507

We arrived at the stadium to discover the game was in doubt due to minor lighting failures in the dressing room and away stand, however these were thankfully resolved.

This promised to be an interesting game to gauge the reality of league form with first and second in the First Division meeting in this cup encounter. Not the first late summers meeting in a cup at Dens for these two sides.

Thistle switched their starting striking partnership to Roberts and Gray, and McStay replaced McKeown in midfield.

The home support was surprisingly sparse, and Thistle started brightly, obviously taking confidence from Saturday’s fantastic result.

After 6 minutes however, Dundee had the first real chance – good play by Antoine-Curier set up Dacquin who missed his kick but it fell to an incoming Dundee player who shot narrowly over – a warning. Thistle’s first attempt at goal was a header from Gray which did not trouble Douglas in the Dundee goal.

In the 12th minute Gray was again involved when released by a good pass by Chaplain but his one-on-one with Douglas from the right side of the box was unsuccessful as he shot at the Dundee keeper after finding himself goal side of the last defender.

Storey was reading game well and holding the Thistle defence together, but Antione-Curier seemed to be the one causing problems with his tall and awkward style.

It was a good game of football at this stage, with fast crisp passing football from both sides, and an open game, with both sides also using the full width of the football pitch. An example was some good play by Twaddle whose deep cross to the back post was met by Harkins who headed wide.

Dundee then had a spell of possession which ultimately resulted in a corner after 28 minutes. The low inswinging corner was punched off the line by Tuffey at full length and the follow up shot was fired well over from the edge of the box.

As half time approached, both sides had chances. Twaddle won a corner well after good play by McStay, and from resulting corner Harkins had a good chance but his downward header went wide from McStay’s well-placed corner. Dundee responded immediately and Tuffey came to edge of box and although he won his punch, it was ineffective and fell to a Dundee player but his shot was deflected wide. From the resulting corner Dacquin again hilariously missed his kick, but it fell to Malone who shot just past the left post.

Paton and Dacquin were doubling up for Dundee down their right where all the danger seemed to come from; Twaddle was working hard high up the pitch and there was a great duel between the attacking full backs Twaddle and ex- Jag Paton, whose crossing in particular was excellent.

In the final minute of the half, Dundee had ball in net through Antoine- Cruier, but his simple side foot volley after a ball from the Dundee left was ruled offside.

Donnelly replaced Roberts at half time for Thistle.

Antoine-Cruier soon had a chance, a back post header, which Tuffey saved when the ball hit him.

After 54 minutes, Donnelly released Gray with a good pass when Gray was on right of box at a wide angle, but he shot poorly causing more danger to the corner flag than the goal. Almost immediately after this Paton centred well for Thistle but Chaplain just failed to connect at the front post.

Harkins then set Twaddle free, and he made space well for himself, however his cross was too high for the Thistle strikeforce of Donnelly and Gray and Douglas gathered with ease. More good play by Twaddle on the hour mark led to Donnelly having a shot from edge of box which was deflected wide, the resulting corner was too deep but Donnell gathered at back post and his cross back in was met by Harkins who headed narrowly over.

Lennon replaced the hard working but frustrating Gray and he made an immediate impact winning a free kick on the edge of the Dundee box on the Thistle left. Donnelly tried a low near post shot which was gathered by Douglas. Dundee then replaced Dacquin much to the joy of the Dundee support.

Donnelly took down a Tuffey kick out beautifully for the onrushing Chaplain who released Twaddle but, not for the first time, his cross was too high, too hard. Thistle were dominating at this stage and little had been seen from Antione-Curier for some time and he was replaced by Deasley on 70 minutes.

Harkins was dominating the midfield now and went on a surging run and as the Dundee defence backed off he hit a swerving shot from 25 yards, saved at head height by Douglas. Twaddle, who had run the line hard all night long was blowing hard now, and it was good to see Harkins helping out on the left hand side more and more. Dundee introduced Cowan after 77 minutes but instantly he had cause for dejection.

From wide on the Thistle left Maxwell popped up and crossed into the box, if floated over Rab Douglas’s head and nestled into the net at the back post. Oops, I mean Maxwell placed a perfect lob over the head of Douglas! Either way, Thistle deserved this lead.

Unfortunately, the lead did not last long. McHale, who had been Dundee’s best player along with Paton, equalised when he capitalised on some very shoddy Thistle defending in their box and he was left free on the right about 8 yards out and made no mistake with the finish. Thistle had held the lead for only two minutes and the players did look dejected and for a few minutes it seemed Dundee had all the momentum. Credit to Thistle though, they soon responded, Twaddle making good progress to byeline, his cutback being frantically cleared by Dundee defender only as far as edge of box, for McStay’s shot was held easily by Douglas.

Chaplain, who had an excellent match, was replaced by McKinlay after 87 minutes.

Then a minute later, McStay worked back well and brilliantly disposed Deasley on edge of Thistle box and quickly released the Thistle midfield who streamed forward in numbers. Harkins found Lennon in the box with a precise pass and he was brought down for a cast iron penalty. Captain Marvel, Gary Harkins, stepped forward and took responsibility and slotted the penalty home with cool aplomb, sending Douglas the wrong way in front of the Thistle stand. Harkins had given everything, a compelling midfield performance and this glory was fine reward.

Speaking to Dundee fans afterwards they had felt both teams played poorly. I thought that actually it was a refreshing game of football, both teams using the width of the pitch and trying to play good football at pace.

For Dundee McHale, Paton, Antione-Curier, and Malone all played well.  For Thistle, the midfield of McStay, Harkins and Chaplain all had excellent games, as did Storey. Twaddle worked tirelessly and with better final delivery would have been a standout. The strike partnership of Donnelly and Lennon looked more threatening than Roberts and Gray.

It is hard to recall a time in recent years when Thistle have made such a good start to the League campaign and both early season cups. Long may it continue.

Dundee: Douglas, Paton, McHale, Malone, Mackenzie, Williams, Daquin (Gilhaney 62), Pozniak (Cowan 75), McMenamin, Curier (Deasley 69), O’Brien.
Subs not used: Davidson, Roy.
Booked: Mackenzie.
Goal: McHale 80.

Partick Thistle: Tuffey, Paton, Twaddle, Storey, Robertson, Maxwell, Chaplain (McKinlay 85), McStay. Gray (Lennon 60), Roberts (Donnelly 46), Harkins.
Subs not used: Kinninburgh, Hinchcliffe.
Goals: Maxwell 78, Harkins 87 (pen).

Ref: William Collum