One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

Thistle’s run of league games without a win stretched for another week after Don Cowie’s goal deep into injury time grabbed County a share of the points at Firhill. Mark Roberts fine 68th minute strike looked to have set Thistle up for a much-needed win, but they couldn’t add a second and were made to pay right at the death.

The Thistle team showed a few changes both in terms of personnel and position, Roberts was moved to the left wing in place of the suspended Young, his place in attack filled by Keogh and Boyd returned to the centre of defence, somewhat surprisingly alongside new signing Alan Archibald, which meant McChrystal dropped to the bench and Robertson kept his place at left back. Neither of Ross County’s new Italian signings started the game, but former Gretna striker Dene Shields was back in attack, while former Jag Andy Dowie captained the side.

Kick-off was delayed for five minutes due to some electrical problems in the Jackie Husband Stand, and those who had packed the newly opened supporters bar in the Aitken Suite before the game were probably wishing it had been delayed indefinitely, as not for the first time this season, Thistle and County proceeded to look like two of the poorer sides in the Division.

Both sides struggled to create anything of note, and following a couple of blocked shots apiece, and a woefully off-target half volley from Keogh, it was midway through the first half before either keeper was called into action. It came when Donnelly got on the end of Robertson’s cross at the far post, but his low drive was deflected off the legs of a defender and a combination of the post and the keeper made sure the ball went out for a corner.

Roberts and Donnelly combined a few seconds later to set up another chance, but this time Donnelly was faced with a more acute angle and his low drive across the six-yard box was cleared to safety by a defender.

County tried to respond and a quick break set up an opportunity for Cowie to go for goal, but he was quickly closed down and his shot was deflected wide. Former Jag Mark McCulloch should have tested Kenny Arthur for the first time just after the half hour mark, but although Barry Smith found himself marking two County players when the cross came into the box, McCulloch failed to take advantage of the situation and Smith was able to block. And that was it for a disappointing first half.

At the half-time interval, a host of former Thistle favourites (most from the 1971 Cup winning side), including Alex Forsyth, Hugh Strachan, Denis McQuade, Bobby Houston, Jackie Campbell, and manager Davie McParland were introduced to the crowd, and set us up nicely for what we hoped would be a more entertaining second half.

That seemed a forlorn hope early on; as to say the game was dire was a bit of an understatement. Allan Russell replaced the ineffective McConalogue after 61 mins and Billy Gibson quickly followed to replace Jimmy Gibson in midfield, and this did at least liven up the game a little.

Russell was involved almost immediately when he picked up possession on the edge of the area after Roberts’ progress had been blocked, but he delayed his shot slightly and this allowed a defender to get something on the ball, giving the keeper an easy save.

Fellow sub Billy Gibson then drove down the left wing with the ball, eventually squaring it for Roberts who’d taken the chance to move into the middle, and from 25 yards, he unleashed a superb drive high past the keeper to put the Jags in front.

After taking the lead Thistle went onto have their best spell of the game, and they had a couple of chances to seal the win with a second goal. Firstly, Donnelly picked out the run of Russell but his cutback into the danger area was just behind Keogh and no one else was there to take advantage. Donnelly was involved a second time, this time with Billy Gibson, and the latter lifted the ball across the box, but it was just sliding away from Keogh at the far post and he could only direct his header into the side netting.

With Thistle failing to kill the game off, and although they had posed very little threat to the Jags defence in the second half, the visitors sensed there was still a chance to take something from the game and in the 82nd minute Sean Higgins was introduced alongside Gardyne and Shields in attack as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser.

The Jags defence was looking like holding out fairly comfortably, and although Thistle could and probably should have done a little better to retain possession a couple of times, there looked to be no danger until the referee allowed play to continue deep into injury time. A late corner was won by County, and after it was only half cleared to the edge of the area, Don Cowie rifled in their first shot on target, and his terrific shot found the back of the net to earn them a share of the points.

It was hard luck on Thistle, yet again they hadn’t really played very well and in truth, had only had about three shots on target themselves in the game, but they seemed to have done enough in the second half to earn a much-needed win, only to be hit with a sucker-punch right at the death.

Man of the match:
ALAN ARCHIBALD - The defence as a whole looked much stronger today (Smith had his best performance in a Thistle jersey), and that was thanks in no small part to Archibald. His wasn’t an oustanding performance, and it was perhaps no real surprise that he was picked out on his return, but he added solid tackling, organistion and aggression to the back-line, and although it’s strange not to see him feature at left-back, on the evidence of this game, he’ll be an important part of the defence no matter what position he fills.

Thistle: Arthur 6, Smith 7, Robertson 6, Boyd 6, Archibald 8, J Gibson 6 (B Gibson 63, 6), Donnelly 6 (Ferguson 82), Roberts 6, McConalogue 4 (Russell 61, 6), Keogh 5, Brady 6.
Unused subs; Tuffey, McChrystal.

Ross County: Samson, Smith, Moore, Dowie, Keddie, McCulloch (Robertson 68), O’Carrol, Scott (Gardyne 64), Sheilds, Cowie, McKinlay (Higgins 82).
Unused subs; Tomei, Anderson.