One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

Written by John Cole

Dick Campbell made just a couple of changes to the team from last week, Marc Smyth and Ricky Gillies dropping to the bench to make way for Darren Brady and a home debut for Sandy Hodge, while Billy Dodds retained his place up front to make the second Thistle home debut of his career. Ray Farningham also made changes to his Forfar team, fielding trialists at right back and, up front, former Jags Eddie Forrest and Martin Cameron started, and Steven Bonar and Paul Tosh took places on the bench.

The first half of the game was somewhat lacklustre and uninspiring, passing without either keeper being forced to make a save of any real note. Both teams struggled to take control of proceedings, This was not helped however by the over zealous referee Willie Collum whose near constant whistling led to a stop start game with not a lot of pleasing play on show and the ball spending most of its time in the air.

Thistle looked somewhat disorganised, and it was often unclear as to whether they were meant to be playing a 4-3-3 formation or a 3-4-3 which looked more like a 5-2-3. This led to the Jags midfield, with the exception of Jimmy Gibson, becoming almost completely anonymous. Just as worrying was that Thistle continually needed more than one attempt to clear their lines, and you had to feel that against stronger opposition they would have been punished.

On a brighter note, both new signings looked eager to do well, with Hodge strong in the tackle and keen to push forward, and Dodds looking like Thistle’s most likely player to create something dropping deep on many occasions to hold up the ball and pick out a team mate.

Meanwhile for Forfar, McClune and Montgomery were trying to stamp their authority on the game with some direct running a couple of shots from the edge of the box, and the creation of a couple of headed opportunities for Cameron and Forrest, but none were able to trouble Kenny Arthur.

Despite the lack of guile in the game, Thistle did create one clear chance in the first half and what a chance it was. From a McCulloch corner the ball ended up with Jimmy Gibson at the edge of the box. The captain for the day chipped the ball back into the danger area and Billy Dodds was able to cut it back to Ritchie leaving the keeper stranded in no-mans land, but with an open goal at his mercy Ritchie somehow contrived to put the ball over from only four yards out.

So the teams went in at 0-0 at half time, and the Jags faithful already depressed by the failings of the Firhil PA system, were not slow to voice their frustration and, as one, must have hoped for a lot more in the second half.

Both sides came back out for the second half with no changes in personel, but clearly both managers had said something to their players which added a bit of urgency to their play. Indeed in the first ten minutes of the second half probably more passing football was played than in the entire first 45.

Thistle threatened first, when just after the restart a nice interchange of passing presented Billy Gibson with the ball around 20 yards out and as he strode onto it he unleashed a powerful drive which produced a fine diving stop from Dubourdeau. From the resulting corner the Jags came even closer to opening the scoring when McCulloch’s ball into the box sailed to Billy Dodds at the back post and the wee man was unlucky to see his cleverly looped header connect with the junction of post and bar.

Thistle looked to maintain and build on this pressure and Jimmy Gibson was next to have a go striking a volley from the edge of the box but he was never able to get above the ball and it sailed harmlessly over.

In 55 minutes, though, the Jags were given a clear indication that they were not the only team looking to push on for the three points as the silver booted trialist upfront skinned Billy Gibson on the left and bombed down the wing beating at least another two defenders before cutting the ball back into the box, but was unlucky not to find a team-mate as Gibson had tracked back well to make a crucial intervention and the danger was gone when Thistle dealt with the corner with relative ease.

On 59 minutes Farningham then replaced Martin Cameron, who looked to be limping with felow ex-Jag Paul Tosh as he looked to freshen his forward line, but it was the substitute made by Dick Campbell a minute later that was to prove pivotal in the game, as the ineffectual Daren Brady was replaced by Adam Strachan much to the delight of the majority of the home fans.

Again Thistle looked to up the tempo and a short corner to Boab McCulloch presented him with the opperchancity to shoot, but his powerful low drive was blocked in the crowded goalmouth area. However, the ball stayed in and around the Loon’s box and after a good run by Strachan and some sharp passing, Boab McCulloch was brought down wide on the left resulting in a booking for the full back trialist and further pressure for Thistle.

The freekick was dealt with by the Forfar defence but only in surrender of a corner. Again the corner was headed away but only to the edge of the box where an appreciative Strachan was waiting to send a low volley through the crowd and into the corner of the net, giving Thistle the lead in the 67th minute with his first goal for the club in his 37th game in the red and yellow. He clearly enjoyed it, saluting the crowd and punching the air in delight.

After the goal Thistle looked somewhat more composed and were soon in attack again, Billy Dodds collected the ball on the halfway line before cleverly turning and releasing a chiped through ball, which Strachan eagerly ran on to but with the ball rising he was unable to keep his volley down this time and Dubourdeau happily watched it go over.

At this stage though, Thistle were in the ascendancy and after another short corner an excellent whipped ball from Strachan found Ritchie, and the striker’s header brought out a good one handed stop from Dubourdeau. As the ball rolled loose a tangle ensued with first Dodds just failing to connect, before a posse of defenders tried to clear and Mark Roberts got stuck in to try and force the ball home. oberts then went down in what looked like a penalty but to the disbelief of the home support Roberts entered the Ref’s book for diving.

With Thistle unable to score a second they set about seeing out the narrow victory and with that in mind, a tired Dodds went off to a good round of applause for an intelligent and hard working performance, to be replaced by Ricky Gillies in 86 minutes and Thistle began looking to run the ball into the corners. This was done to reasonable effect but again the overzealous Collum made his mark for the worse of the game complaining about the time Thistle were taking, and giving some very dubious freekicks, one of which could have proved all important as Forfar’s King whipped it dangerously across goal. However, despite a couple of disparing lunges, particulary from Lunan sliding in at the back post, no-one was able to make the all important contact and the ball went harmlessly wide allowing Thistle to pick up a welcome 3 points.

All in all it was not a great game, but the second half did see a marked inprovement in the standard of play. Forfar will feel that they played a big enough part in the game to have had a chance of taking something from it, but in truth despite not being anywhere near their best, on the balance of chances alone, Thistle did just about deserve to sneak this one. They must improve though as that performance would not have been sufficient against any of the teams in the top half of the league, and as often seen before this season there was precious little creation from the middle of the park.

But we should not be too downhearted as there were positives in the game. Hodge and Dodds looked like they could prove to be good additions and Strachan’s performance when he came on was extremley encouraging with an end product being added to a number of his runs, both with his goal and some good crosses. In addition, as narrow as the win was, with Morton and Peterhead drawing and Stirling losing, Thistle have strengthened their play-off position.

Man of the match:
BILLY DODDS - Jimmy Gibson was named the sponsors MotM but although he and namesake Billy, along with matchwinner Adam Strachan all played well, it was Billy Dodds on his home debut who probably deserved it more. He was unlucky not to score and was constantly looking to play teamamtes in and retain posession.