One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

Thistle made the short trip to Hampden to face Second Division new boys Queen’s Park this afternoon, but Martin Canning’s first half goal and Jimmy Gibson’s red card meant it wasn’t a happy afternoon for the Jags.McCall had hinted his line up would closely resemble the side that started the season, and the team was pretty much as expected, although a trialist featured at left back and Chaplain started the game wearing the no.9 but in an advanced midfield role with only Roberts ahead of him. The only other striker on the books, Buchanan, was amongst the subs. Queen’s Park lined-up with pretty much the same team that won promotion last season.

Thistle struggled to get going in this game and it was Queen’s Park that looked the better side in the first half, playing a neat passing game well suited to the lush Hampden surface. They’d already threatened once before opening the scoring after 11 minutes from a nicely worked free kick on the Thistle left. It was taken short and Kettlewell slipped the ball through to Trouten inside the area, where he reached the by-line before cutting the ball back into the six-yard box for Canning to slide it home.

Ten minutes later and things went from bad to worse for Thistle when Kettlewell and Jimmy Gibson slid in to contest a loose ball, the latter with two-feet, and although it was a poor challenge, considering it was a friendly and no real contact was made, the ref surprisingly flashed a red-card and off Gibson went – which means he will be suspended for the opening game of the season at Stirling.

Now with a man advantage the home side continued to pass the ball about neatly though without really threatening, although Archibald had to head a dangerous cross over the bar with at least one striker waiting to pounce, and the Jags defence were given a let off when Canning ran onto a terrific through ball with only the keeper to beat but an awful first touch allowed Hinchcliffe to claim the ball.

Thistle’s only chance of any note in the opening 45 minutes came when Robertson met Donnelly’s cross but directed his header wide. Donnelly and Murray had been the only players to threaten (albeit not very much) for Thistle in the first half but McCall changed things around at half-time and both were subbed with Harkins moving into midfield, Boyd coming on in the centre of defence, and Buchanan joining Roberts in attack.

The changes had the desired effect and you wouldn’t have known Thistle were playing with only ten men in the second half as they dominated possession. However, a Harkins shot in the 56th minute that was reasonably comfortable for the keeper was the only real save either keeper made in the entire match.

The Spiders keeper should have been facing up to a penalty five minutes later when he clambered all over the back of Archibald after spilling a cross, but although he bundled the Jags player over in his efforts to retrieve the ball, the ref only pointed for a corner and not a spot kick.

Thistle continued to press and Harkins and Roberts combined well inside the box to try and create an opening but the resolute Spiders defence headed clear before Buchanan could pounce, and a few minutes later when Harkins did manage to pick out the former Cowdenbeath striker with a cross, he wasted it by failing to get a decent connection on the ball.

Harkins went for goal himself a few minutes later after space had opened up for him to push forward, but his 20-yard drive was off target. Buchanan then twisted and turned on the edge of the box to try and create an opening but eventually trundled a shot wide.

A rare Queen’s attack almost resulted in the home side doubling their advantage, sub keeper Tuffey came to try and intercept a low cross and Trouten pounced on the loose ball but fired wide of the gaping goal. The impressive McStay then set up another chance for Thistle with a fine pass down the left, but when the cross came into the box, a defender nodded it behind.

Towards the end a Harkins’ free kick brushed the side netting then Buchanan and Strachan combined on the break for one last chance, but although the latter cut the ball back for the run of Harkins, not for the first time a Spiders player got there to make a challenge and the chance was gone.

The final whistle signalled Thistle’s fourth friendly defeat and I know we’re always hearing how pre-season games count for nothing – all I can say is thank goodness for that, next year just wake me up when the real stuff starts….. We will start playing better then, won’t we?

On the plus side Buchanan looks sharp, McStay made a big difference when he came on and Harkins also did well. However, Roberts once again looked a shadow of the player we know he can be, the trialist left back didn’t impress, in fact, the least said about the first half performance the better. As for Jimmy Gibson, impressive against Leicester he might have been, and the ref perhaps did over-react today, but it was a two-footed, needlessly poor challenge – d’you think McCall still has the telephone number of that French trialist?