Match report - Forfar vs Partick Thistle Alba Cup
Match report - Forfar vs Partick Thistle Alba Cup
Tuesday 18 August 2009 7.45 pm Station Park,
Reporter Paul Murray
Referee: David Somers
Attendance: 532
In the lead up to last week’s Alan Archibald testimonial Chic Charnley said of Alan : ‘…he is one of those players that you don’t notice him when he’s in your team but when he’s not there you miss him.’ Well, as Alan, returning from injury, once again led out Thistle up at Forfar in a potentially very difficult Alba cup tie I hoped Chic’s slightly back handed choice of compliment would ring true and that Archie would have a quietly efficient evening marshalling the Thistle rearguard.
Once the game got underway it was plainly obvious that Ian McCall had impressed on his players of the importance of starting the match in the right manner. Cleverly clipped balls forward, passes met from darting runs, using the full width of a tight pitch to stretch the opposition formed the pattern of Thistle’s early play in the evening Angus drizzle.
At this stage Forfar were struggling to cope with the momentum the Jags had built and it was not long until their visitors went one up. Cairney cleverly side stepped the Forfar right back, then passed the ball into Doolen, who from about two meters out guided the ball into the net.
As this period of dominance continued Thistle made three to four good chances- the best of which again involved Cairney who provide an excellent defense cutting pass for Corcoran to run on to. Mark showed, not only has he the pace to get past defenders but he also can release an accurate final ball; this time finding Hamilton- only a remarkable save from Brown stopping Jim from scoring his first Thistle goal.
Forfar were very lucky not to be three down at this point. However things did start to get better for them. They started to get closer to the Jags in the midfield which disrupted our passing rhythm. Deasley, the Loon’s tricky winger on loan from Dundee, who I thought might be a threat before the game, was actually was very quiet. Instead it was Chris Templeman and lower league regular Kevin Fotheringham who caused us problems; the latter hitting an arcing volley which hit one post then the other and then out, with the Forfar fans behind the goal celebrating.
Half time came and the anticipated hard match had finally arrived.
However it proved to be that Thistle were never in any real danger in this tie for before we’d had time to wipe the half time bridie crumbs from our faces Hamilton had put Thistle three one up . Two goals with decent finishes- the first a crisp first time hit from another accurate Corcoran cross.
With the game more or less won, McCall took off the dangerous Corcoran and the travelling crowd got another chance to be entertained by Chris Erskine; how long till Bert in the Times calls him a fans’ favourite? It clear that Chris was intent on impressing and it wasn’t long before he provided the best piece of individual skill in the whole game: slaloming his way through the right hand side of the Forfar defence before unselfishly pushing the ball into the feet of Donnelly who finished well.
At this point it was starting to become a rout. So much so that the wee ginger headed Forfar fan who bravely backed his team to, at times, comical effect started to get itchy feet. He eventually left in disgust right after the sixth goal- another good finish this time from Cairney.
So I the end a very comprehensive victory involving not only excellent football but also crucially a clinical end product. Best for the Jags were Hodge- the pass master, Cairney- the terrier and Archie- the invisible man.
MOM- Has to be Alan Archibald- his displays may go unnoticed at times but he provided strength and stability at the back during Forfar’s good period meaning that crucially we went in one up at half time.
Forfar Athletic
Goal: Chris Templeman (58).
1. Ally Brown
2. David Mowat (Nicky Smith, 60 mins)
3. Iain Campbell
4. Darren Brady
5. Andy Tod
6. Stephen Tulloch (Stuart Malcolm, 60 mins)
7. Martyn Fotheringham (Kevin Gordon, 66 mins)
8. Ross Campbell
9. Chris Templeman
10. Kevin Fotheringham
11. Bryan Deasley
Unused Subs: Calum Smith, Matt Curtis.
Partick Thistle
Goals: Kris Doolan (8), Jim Hamilton (51), Jim Hamilton (52), David Rowson (60), Simon Donnelly (75), Paul Cairney (85).
1. Jonny Tuffey
2. Paul Paton
3. Patrick Boyle
4. Bryan Hodge
5. John Robertson
6. Alan Archibald
7. Paul Cairney
8. David Rowson (Willie Kinniburgh, 75 mins)
9. Kris Doolan
10. Jim Hamilton (Simon Donnelly, 66 mins)
11. Mark Corcoran (Chris Erskine, 58 mins)
Unused Subs: Craig Hinchcliffe, Martyn Corrigan.
Referee: David Somers
Assistant Referees: Gordon Middleton and Kevin Graham