Match report - Partick Thistle v Berwick Rangers
Partick Thistle 5 Berwick Rangers 1
Saturday 1 August 2009 3.00pm Firhill
Reporter Alan Murray
Referee: Dougie McDonald
Attendance: 1,472
Thistle’s first game at Firhill this season saw them take on Third division Berwick. McCall opted to go with an attacking 4-3-3 formation. Thistle started okay and was trying to bring new signing Mark Corcoran into the game to test Berwick on the left. The third division visitors were passing the ball well but did not really test thistle.
Corcoran did get a shot on target but was unable to get the direction required and Peat who was in the Berwick goal was able to save it.
After the 30th minute Hodge opened the scoring with a spectacular strike. Paton passed the ball from the right; Hodge found himself on the edge of the box and drove the ball with the outside of his foot into the top right hand corner. Peat in the Berwick goal did get a hand to it but was unable to stop the ball going into the net.
Donnelly tried to add a second after 39 minutes however his shot was always rising.
Half time came and both the Jags and Berwick youth teams were in involved in a challenge to score from the half way line. All I would say I think Liam’s position in the side is not currently under threat from the Thistle youth team!
Mark Corcoran gave way for Chris Erskine at the break.
Erskine made quite an impact and got up well to header a Martyn Corrigan free kick however could not get any meaningful direction on the ball.
In the 49th minute Liam Buchanan found himself at the edge of the box and was able to smash the ball into the top corner of the Berwick net even though he had close attention from two Berwick defenders. No goal keeper could have stopped that shot!
Thistle were really now turning the screw on Berwick and Chris Erskine made it three after McKeown had his shot parried out by Peat in the Berwick goal.
This trigged McCall to warm up his subs and it was no surprise when Jim Hamilton and David Rowson came on for Bryan Hodge and Paul Cairney.
After the 65th minute Liam Buchanan again threatened the Berwick goal but a defender managed to get a foot to his shot and deflected the shot for a corner.
With all the action round the Berwick goal the next goal came as a surprise because Ian Little found himself through on goal and coolly slotted the ball beyond Tuffey’s reach.
Just after the restart Liam Buchanan again threaded past the Berwick goal but Peat saved with his legs.
Thistle came very close to scoring another spectacular goal when Chris Erskine surged down the left hand side who then played a cracking cross for Buchanan but was unable to get his head to the ball. The goal keeper made a valiant effort to get to the cross and even though he never got a touch it did appear to be enough to put off Buchanan scoring.
Berwick had a rare opportunity through a Jamie Ewart header but was unable to get the direction required.
Thistle added the fourth goal through a penalty. A Jim Hamilton header was heading towards the goal till a Berwick hand got in the way. How this never merited a red card I don’t know. Maybe referee McDonald thought Berwick had suffered enough. Though he did give two ridiculous soft yellow cards early on in the game. Liam Buchanan coolly slotted home the penalty.
Erskine ensured a five star display with a front post flick with the side off his boot which had a certain Chick Young singing his praises on the radio. Kiss off death if ever there was one.
Man of the match – Paul Paton got forward throughout the game and caused plenty of problems for the Berwick defense. Just in front of the impressive Buchanan.