One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

Thistle and Queens shared the points in a dour draw at Firhill this afternoon, despite Thistle benefitting from a controversial red card for the second week in a row. In fact, the dismissal of Queen’s Jim Thomson, combined with the windy conditions and the woeful state of the playing surface all added up to a frustrating afternoon.

Thistle made three changes to the side that drew with Dunfermline last weekend, the unfortunate McKinlay was replaced by Harkins while Chaplain and fit-again Roberts were preferred to McStay and Mooc. The latter, clearly not match fit, didn’t even make the bench. Queen of the South unsurprisingly stuck with the same starting line-up that has served them so well in recent weeks.

The visitors came into the match on the back of a terrific seven wins in a row and that showed in their early play. They threatened inside the first few minutes when McQuilken cut in from the left and slid the ball accross the face of the Thistle goal and Twaddle had to knock it behind for a corner. The same player almost got away from Storey inside the area seconds later, but the Jags full back did just enough to clear the danger.

Despite the visitors looking the more confident side and retaining the ball far better than Thistle were managing to, there wasn’t a great deal between the sides, and there were few chance of any note for either team. Thistle threatened from a couple of corners but failed to create a clear opening, and although there was a shout for a penalty at one when the ball struck an arm inside the area, it would have been incredibly harsh, and we had to wait until the 25th minute for the first real chance of the game.

John O’Neill had just come on for the injured Bob Harris and he almost scored with his first touch when he dived to get on the end of a cross from Burns, but his header found the side netting. At the other end, Mark Roberts won a free kick on the edge of the area but from the set piece Harkins’ shot was blocked by the defensive wall.

The visitors were pressing Thistle whenever they were in possession and making it difficult for the Jags to retain possession for any length of time never mind create anything, but captain Jim Thomson took that task on a little too strenuously for the referee’s liking in the 33rd minute when he crunched into a challenge from behind on Mark Roberts. It was a bad tackle, of that there was no doubt, but after first checking on Roberts, the referee didn’t bring out the expected yellow card, instead going straight for his back pocket to produce the red and off he went.

It was good to see a referee willing to punish a bad tackle like this, but at the same time more often than not it would result in a booking so it felt a little harsh - and the Queens players certainly felt so. Rowson was booked for his reaction to the original tackle and John O’Neill was fortunate to be the only Queens player who followed him into the referee’s notebook for complaining about the dismissal. The visitors were penalised for a handball a few minutes later much to the disgust of their players, but fortunately for the sake of the game things did eventually settle down.

In the 36th minute Marc Twaddle had the first shot on target when he hit a low shot from a free kick, but keeper Jamie MacDonald was able to make a fairly routine save. Queens responded when O’Neill tried to wriggle through the heart of the Jags defence, but just as he looked to be clean through on goal, Alan Archibald stretched out a leg to touch the ball away from him and allow Tuffey to clear the danger.

By this time Queens had reorganised to counter Thomson’s dismissal, O’Connor taking over his role in defence leaving Dobbie up front on his own. This gave Thistle more time on the ball and in the closing stages of the first half they began to take advantage of their superior numbers by keeping possession and knocking the ball about to try and stretch the play.

They did this to good effect five minutes from half time, patiently waiting for an opening before Rowson picked out the run of Chaplain in behind the defence but the Jags midfielder was unable to get a telling touch on the ball and it went harmlessly through to the keeper.

Jonny Tuffey was called upon to make his first save of the game right on the half time whistle when O’Connor got his head to McQuilken’s free kick, but he could only nod it straight into the keepers waiting arms and the half finished goalless.

Ian McCall tried to change things around at the start of the second half by bringing on Keegan in place of Storey. He joined Roberts in attack, which meant Donnelly dropped back into midfield and Harkins took over at right back. It looked to have the desired effect with Thistle pressing right from the whistle, and they were just inches from taking the lead when Keegan and Chaplain combined to set up McKeown on the edge of the box but his powerful drive flashed just wide of target.

Twaddle did well to create space to whip in a low cross in the 55th minute giving Mark Roberts a half chance, but the fact two players dived in to block his shot typified the stubborn Queens defence that was determined not to concede a goal.

After what had been a promising start to the half, with the visitors setting their stall out to try and hold out for a point the game got very scrappy, with Thistle’s cause not helped by Keegan’s inability to challenge for the ball without committing a foul. The strong wind and tricky underfoot conditions also made it difficult, and both sides made changes to try and alter the game.

Queens replaced Dobbie with John Stewart to give them more pace and mobility in their lone attacker, while Murray came on for McKeown to try and provide Thistle with a bit of creativity. McCall’s last throw of the dice was to introduce loan signing Damon Gray in place of Roberts.

Unfortunately the substitutions had little effect on the proceedings, and McQuilken wasted a good opportunity for Queens when Rowson’s error gifted him possession but his touch was heavy giving Tuffey the chance to claim the ball at his feet. That chance apart, it was Thistle who were on top, but although they kept pushing forward, they looked as if they could play all day without scoring.

Scott Chaplain did his best to find a goal with a trio of efforts. But after twisting and turning inside the area his first attempt was blocked, he then couldn’t get any power into his header from Gray’s cross giving MacDonald an easy save and finally when the ball broke to him on the edge of the area he ballooned it over the bar.

Marc Twaddle had a late effort but couldn’t get any power in his header from Murray’s free kick and then Queens could have stole all three points right at the death when MacDonald launched the ball upfield and substitute John Stewart took advantage when the linesman didn’t raise his flag to race clear of the Thistle defence. Fortunately, Jonny Tuffey is in fine form at the moment and he made a good save to deny him and from the rebound Burns fired the ball wildy off target.

It would have been harsh on either side to have lost the game, but it was the visitors who were by far the happier with the point. They might not have managed to equal that record of eight wins in a row, but after playing for almost an hour with ten men, and coping fairly comfortably too, they fully deserved their point.

For Thistle, it was yet another disappointing performance and while the likes of Chaplain and Harkins tried hard to create, it’s worrying that we are missing the pace and movement of Buchanan quite so much. Thankfully, the teams below us all lost today, so we can travel to Broadwood next weekend knowing that if we can grab a win, it would move us a more comfortable eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Finally, special mention to John McDougall, the 65-year-old mascot (a present from his son!), for managing to run out with the teams and reach the centre circle without collapsing (pictured here). Pity about the 90 minutes that followed though!

Man of the match: Alan Archibald