One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

This week’s match report is a scientific experiment. Does the view from hospitality while munching a prawn sandwich really look so different as it does from the away stand? It is called the JFK experiment. The first thing to report is that prawn sandwiches were off the menu, as later action would illustrate so was goalmouth action to be.

As the team sheets were circulated I was immediately disappointed. Firstly, as I had already placed a bet on Harkins being first goal scorer and he did not start and secondly as the team seemed to lack adventure, creativity and width and seemed to be designed to contain with Murray on bench.

Early season we played good football with two wide men in advanced positions. At St Johnstone we had sacrificed one wide man to try to contain and today we completed the manoeuvre by playing a midfield of Jimmy Gibson, Chaplain, Rowson and McKinlay. I told my hosts and fellow guests before kick off we would lack creativity and width and so it transpired.

In the first minute I was nearly proven wrong as Thistle almost got a dream start. After good play by Rowson, Buchanan was presented with an opportunity in the inside right channel but pulled his shot wide. That was the last piece of Thistle good play for some time as every time Thistle got the ball either McKinlay or Gibson gave it away in the early stages and Dunfermline broke well each time.

After one such McKinlay loss of possession, Dunfermline broke quickly, moved the ball to Burchill who waltzed through the Thistle defence, embarrassed Robertson by the ease he went past him and left him for pace and slotted home; a far from the ideal start.

Archibald was booked after ten minutes for a trip on Glass who then fired the resulting free kick just wide. At this stage my hosts asked me where our midfield were and it was a fair question, Jimmy Gibson permanently giving ball away, and McKinlay doing a headless chicken impersonation.

Chaplain had a good chance to equalise after 18 minutes but shot over after a rare Bamba mistake. Chaplain then picked up a stray pass out of the Dunfermline defence and fed Buchanan in an identical position to the opportunity he had in first minute. This time Buchanan shot into the near post side netting. Dunfermline broke immediately and Glass’s firm shot from the left was well saved at the near post by Hinchcliffe.

There was little more action of note in a poor first half. McKinlay, Roberts, Twaddle and Jimmy Gibson had all been very poor in the first period and changes were needed at half time and to be fair to McCall, he did get a second half reaction.

Murray came on for McKinlay as Thistle started the second half in a 4-3-3 formation with Murray working the full width of the front line. Immediately, good play by Murray fed Storey who was fouled in a good position to the right of the Dunfermline box but unfortunately Archibald was adjudged to foul the Dunfermline defender he jumped with.

Roberts gave the ball away yet again and Dunfermline won a corner but Archibald cleared well as he was called into action at other end of field. Keegan then came on for Chaplain with Roberts dropping a bit deeper. After this change Thistle began to dominate the second half without creation of too many clear-cut chances, Jimmy Gibson and Roberts beginning to look more like their old selves.

Murray sclaffed a cross, which rather fortunately found its way to Buchanan whose goalbound effort was headed wide. My hosts sympathised with me as Keegan was repeatedly adjudged offside, decisions we were mainly in line with and which were wrong on two or three occasions.

With twenty minutes to go Thistle created their best chance of the game. There was a good build up involving Buchanan, Roberts and Murray, and Keegan was released albeit with a bouncing ball in the box but he shot weakly and the ball was cleared for a corner. From the resulting corner’s clearance, Jimmy Gibson was lurking 25 yards out and he shot narrowly over with a dipping effort.

With 12 minutes left the ball pingballed about in the Dunfermline box for a prolonged period but we could just not find a finish with Gallagher hopelessly out of position. Keegan’s finishing was again questionable after 80 minutes when a Murray corner found Keegan alone at the back post but he disappointingly headed yards wide.

The closing minutes were frantic as Thistle continued their domination of the second period. First, Harkins shot just over with a long-range effort. Dunfermline then leapt upon a Jimmy Gibson mistake but Hinchcliffe saved easily and set Thistle quickly on attack again. Gallagher then saved from Buchanan. Then Keegan headed wide again. After good play by Murray and Twaddle the ball was squared across the six-yard line from the Thistle left but no one could get a touch.

So the full time whistle blew to signal another away defeat. Most objective Dunfermline fans spoken to afterwards and neutrals agreed a point would have been fair for Thistle who having been outplayed in first half, dominated the second completely. But a failure to convert chances and possession cost them.

Thistle lost a bad goal today but the biggest problem was a total lack of options and width. Strachan was sitting in main stand and often in second half we were crying out for someone wide right.

As players settle more, it is apparent that Jimmy Gibson plays better without Rowson alongside. Twaddle should be instructed to never make a forward pass as each time he does he gives the ball away, Hinchcliffe seems more solid than Tuffey to the writer, and Roberts is not the player he once was, although with more time in a deeper position in the second half he performed a bit better.

Bamba was adjudged man of the match by my table who were match sponsors though McManus also played well for Dunfermline, as did Crawford in midfield in the first half and Glass. In truth there looks little between these sides.

Man of the match: Stevie Murray