One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

The first leg of the double header against the title contenders saw Thistle denting Hamilton’s promotion prospects by escaping with a precious point from New Douglas Park. Thistle shaded the first half, but were pinned back for the whole of the second period. Some amazing saves from Jonny Tuffey backed up by a couple of headers off the line frustrated the home team, who must now be hoping that Thistle can go one better against Dundee on Tuesday night.

Once again I found myself cold-shouldered by the webmistress, cast out into the icy wastes of central Scotland. Could she be the White Witch who cursed Narnia, so that is was always winter but never Christmas? Have we changed our name to Arctic Thistle? The month began at Baltic Broadwood and ended at Heatfree Hamilton. A freezing blast swept from above Sainsbury’s straight into the away stand, chilling the enthusiasm of the Thistle support, who were there in reasonable numbers, but kept the noise level at low volume.

The L-shaped stadium is neat enough, but all the atmosphere leaks out of the empty sides. Would two giant mirrors create the impression of a full stadium and make for a better matchday experience? This would also exclude the element who refuse to swell Hamilton’s coffers by paying at the turnstiles, but who watch from the elevated shopping centre or from the vacant ground below. The “ned-count” gradually increased to 25, including someone carrying a dodgy umbrella. Was this Steve McLaren looking for a new job? If so, he would perhaps have noted that Ian McCall was sporting a grey woolly bunnet strangely reminiscent of the headgear chosen on Wednesday night by McLaren’s nemesis, Croatian manager Slaven Bilic.

The sound system gave a brief snatch of “The truth be told-I’m really rather worried about Gray”, indicating some home concern about our principal striker. The funereal mood was not dispelled by the announcement that the match sponsors were something Scaffold. The hoardings were uninspiring, and it was disappointing that John Lewis have not chosen to advertise. “Lewis Hamilton-the fastest team in Scotland” might have helped the Accies in their bid to capitalise on their poll position by accelerating away from the chasing pack.

Thistle lined up in a 4-3-1-2 formation. In the absence of the suspended Alan Archibald, John Robertson and Willie Kinniburgh formed the central defence, flanked by Simon Storey and Marc Twaddle. David Rowson and Gary Harkins were in the middle, but tending slightly to the right, while Kevin McKinlay buzzed up and down the left and tried to join the attack wherever he could. Stephen McKeown seemed to be in the Scott Chaplain advanced position, but while he was reasonably effective, he acted more as a high stopper or ballwinner, rather than as a dynamic link between midfield and attack. Mark Roberts tried to partner Damon Gray up front, but kept having to drop back. As a result Gray received little service, and for all his undoubted qualities, he lacks Liam Buchanan’s ability to keep plugging away and working the defence hard.

It would be unfair to be overly critical of the players on both sides. They did seem genuinely keen to get the ball down and to try to play some good quality football on the unfamiliar green surface. However, the swirling wind thwarted most constructive and creative ambitions. On a better day, this would probably have been an excellent showpiece for the SFL. Hamilton have the running power of Easton at left back, and some highly skilled midfield players with quick feet. Gilhaney is a winger who can cross and shoot, while Offiong is productive both in the air and on the ground. Thistle have also shown, especially in the display against Rangers, that they are comfortable playing a fluid passing game at high tempo.

The outstanding performer at Ibrox, Gary Harkins, was again at the heart of most that was good about Thistle in the first half, driving forward from midfield, ghosting past opposing players (in a similar deceptively ponderous looking manner to Alan Hansen and Scott Paterson) and spraying some accurate long passes. Hamilton paid due respect by subjecting him to some violent challenges.

Mark Roberts also linked up well. However, apart from an early shot on target from Gray which was not firm enough to trouble Cerny, the Hamilton keeper, Thistle’s flowing football did not result in enough attempts on goal. Players were over elaborating, rather than just having a dig. When a shot finally came, Roberts sent this high and wide.

Hamilton had even less to offer in the attacking quarter. Apart from one scare when a David Graham cross flew along the six yard line with no takers, they did not come close to threatening the Thistle goal, and Jonny Tuffey had little to do, allowing him to conserve his energies for what was to follow in the second half. The Hamilton support’s lack of passion and limited songwriting imagination (a choice between “Hamilton, Hamilton, Hamilton” and “AKK-EEESE”) was mirrored in their players. Soon the Thistle fans began to taunt with “SPL-You’re having a laugh” and “Are you Gretna in disguise?”

Thistle came closest to scoring midway through the half when Storey did well to control Harkins’ long crossfield pass in the wind and whip over a cross which Roberts turned narrowly wide from eight yards out. We will never know whether Thistle would have come even closer a few minutes later. Roberts was fouled in the act of releasing a fine throughball which sent McKinlay racing clear of the defence, only for the referee Charlie Richmond to ignore the potential advantage and pull play back for an unproductive freekick.

Willie Kinniburgh was rightly booked for a violent shove on Offiong. The freekick was stifled by the Thistle wall, a fair summary of the outcome of most of Hamilton’s attempts at aggression. They were unable to put Thistle under any pressure, even when David Rowson unaccountably presented the ball straight to one of their players. At halftime Thistle could reflect ruefully on their failure to turn their general dominance of possession and territory into goals.

As Thistle’s four midfield substitutes showed off their ball skills, and Duffy begged us for mercy, a quick look round the stadium revealed at the far end of the home stand, a dark blue and white flag bearing the letters “DFC”. Could these have been local Dundee supporters, trying to urge on the opposition? Although the colours looked right, surely any such renegades would have been more likely to go to the away end? (edited to add - it was Distillery fans across from Northern Ireland, their flag caught out a few of the home fans too!)

There was more action off the park during the interval than there had been on it for the whole first half. A youth shinned over a high wall adjacent to Morrisons’ superstore and opened up a gate for three friends to join him to watch the game from a high vantage point, only partly obscured by a temporary stand which no doubt is intended to be brought into operation in the SPL next season. Seating only 400, and with fifteen stanchions to block the view, it is unlikely to be popular with away supporters. Meanwhile a car entered the area near Sainsbury’s and parked as though at a drive in movie. This led to visits from three separate police vehicles during the second half.

Chaplain was brought on to play the Chaplain role, but actually did so less effectively than McKeown. Harkins was much quieter than before, and as a consequence a more fired up Hamilton side took complete control of proceedings. In their endeavours to preserve the Status Quo, Thistle took their cue from one of their hit records and defended progressively “Down Down Deeper Down” the park. Damon Gray vanished completely and was soon replaced by Simon Donnelly. It was difficult to believe that Mark Roberts was still on the pitch as he was also auditioning for the leading part in “The Invisible Man”. The team mustered only two meaningful attacks, one resulting in a blocked shot from McKinlay, and the other ending with Harkins drilling a freekick wide.

Unlike at Ibrox, where the away goal, although pressurised, was never besieged, Thistle found themselves hemmed in, peppered with crosses and corners, and were unable to lift the blockade. Offiong headed just over, but thereafter a looping header from one of many corners (most of which were delivered well beyond the far post) was headed off the line by Kevin McKinlay.

This cleared the way for the final thirty minutes to be the Jonny Tuffey show. This was not all for positive reasons, as some poor kickouts and uncertain handling presented Hamilton with opportunities, but it would be churlish to deny him the honour of being the hero of the half hour. A couple of volleys heading for the top corner were athletically tipped over. While the rest of the Thistle defence slept at a freekick, David Graham got behind the wall to the left of the goal, and his strike was saved smartly at the near post, before Graham sclaffed the rebound wide.

The most memorable save was when Stuart Taylor (who had come on for James Gibson and, as always, contributed much more to the Hamilton cause than he ever did for Thistle) fired a pointblank volley from a far post corner. Tuffey somehow got something in the way, apparently a combination of face and hands. He was slightly disorientated by the shock of the impact, and it was only when Ryan McStay brought him his mystery “sherbet stick” to suck that he fully recovered.

There were several more good stops to appreciate, including two in quick succession from Offiong and Taylor during a goalmouth stramash. Gilhaney was also denied more than once from longer range. With defenders also blocking and heading clear, the Thistle goal just about survived intact, though it did not make for relaxing viewing for the Thistle fans encamped behind the net. The sun came out at long last, but did not provide any warmth.

Despite the best efforts of Simon Donnelly, Thistle were unable to retain possession high up the park, and therefore the waves of Hamilton attacks kept coming, right into an extended period of added time. Rowson ended the second half better than the first, with an outstanding tackle which stopped another Hamilton foray. In the last minute, Robertson and Kinniburgh got tangled up in their own penalty box and presented the ball to Offiong, who in turn teed up Taylor. Fortunately he hit the ball into orbit.

The final whistle brought welcome relief, and an unusual sight as a squadron of people queued up to shake hands with and hug Jonny Tuffey. First in line were the Hamilton players, followed by the referee and linesmen, and finally by Ian McCall and his bunnet.

This was not a classic, but after a dull first half, the action certainly livened up. This unaccustomed series of scoreless draws indicates that the goalkeeper and defenders (even without Archie) are improving all the time, but that we need to maximise our penetration going forward.

The return of Liam Buchanan (and a fully fit Scott Chaplain) is becoming more of a necessity. Nevertheless, we are still picking up points and moving away from the relegation play-off battle. The time is coming when we can introduce some of our youngsters into first team action, and at least we know how to score against Rangers!

Man of the match: Jonny Tuffey