One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

Partick Thistle 2 - 0 Airdrie
Saturday 3 October 2009 3.00 pm
Referee: Alan Muir
Attendance: 2,839
by Alan Murray

With the chance to go top and up against Airdrie, Ian McCall must have emphasized the importance of no slip ups in this game. With a blustering wind and some of the team still suffering from the virus that hampered their performance last week against Inverness thistle.

John Roberson fell victim to the virus but both Paul Cairney and Simon Donnelly were able to make the game.  Mark Corcoran made way for Chris Erskine.

Thistle started with an attack that resulted in Carney shooting just past Roberson’s post.

After the 12^th minute Alan Archibald had to be alert when clearing the danger from a John Baird cross.

It was the 40^th minute when the first shot was on target and no surprise that it was Liam Buchanan’s whose strongly hit shot Roberson parried behind for a corner.

Controversy came when McLaughlin of Airdrie was sent off - it looked no more than a booking. The referee appeared to say it was for an elbow but from my view no elbow was used. I would have been very unhappy if this decision resulted in a jags player sent off.

This seemed to awake Jags and before the half time break, they pressed hard for goal. Cairney and Liam Buchanan combined well on two occasions however were unable to get the break through.

A very poor first half - conditions were bad, however McCall would have been unhappy with the first half performance.

Second half and Thistle made the break through an excellent passing move. It all started with Erskine skinning his man out on the left. The ball was worked through to Hodge in the box and he made no mistake from around 7 yards.

Thistle was now performing much closer to their recent form and nearly doubled the lead in the 63th minute. Donnelly picked up the ball after slack work by the Airdrie defense and played the ball to Cairney who then played a through ball just behind Liam Buchanan. If the ball had been on target he would have straight through on goal.

Liam was starting to cause the Airdrie defense a lot of problems and had a shot go close after being set up by Rowson.

After the 67 minute, Thistle moved closer to the points after good work by Corcoran on the left. He squared the ball to Donnelly whose excellent first touch made the second touch into the back on the net so much easier.  This is the difference to Donnelly this season - a clinical edge to his play missing last year.

The goal was not enough to ensure he finished the game and Donnelly was swapped for Kris Doolan.
Doolan himself nearly found his name on the score sheet but was denied by an excellent save from Roberson.

Corcoran nearly made it 3 near the end of the game but was denied by the Roberson in the Airdrie goal.

Not the best game but the 3 points take us to the top of the league. Considering the financial constraints at Firhill, Ian McCall is certainly earning his money.

Man of the match - good performances by Rowosn and Hodge but again Paul Cairney gets the nod. Already he is vital to Thistle and is in my opinion developing into one of the best midfielders in the division.