One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

Thistle maintained their excellent away form with a 2-1 away win at Airdrie this afternoon, with Adam Strachan scoring the winner after ex-Jag Stuart Taylor had cancelled out Mark Roberts opener.

It was a typically dreich autumn afternoon in Airdrie, with the overcast conditions leading to some heavy rain shortly before kick-off, and just enough breeze for the Union Jack to flutter above the Main Stand. The heavy rain was more significant, as especially in the first half, on a very wet surface, there was not much total football on display from either side.

Thistle, who made just the one change with Stevie Campbell in for flu victim McCulloch, started the game well and looked the more threatening side. Twice Craig Sives was able to push forward from right back to get into crossing positions, but on neither occasion were the Jags able to take advantage of his dangerous deliveries.

It was from this side, however, that Thistle opened the scoring after 16 minutes. This time Simon Donnelly collected Young’s pass before reaching the bye-line, and from his low cross Roberts – who appears not to be especially popular with the Diamonds supporters - smashed it past Stephen Robertson in the Airdrie goal.

The home team’s first attempt followed shortly after, although Kevin McDonald’s shot from 20yards did not seriously look like threatening Kenny Arthur. Thistle had been playing quite well up until we scored, but to describe the rest of the first half as ‘free-flowing’ would be like describing the reconstruction of Iraq as ‘orderly’.

Turgid would be more appropriate, with both midfields being bypassed as the respective centre halves searched for even greater distance on their hoofs out of defence. If anything, Airdrie were beginning to take greater control of proceedings, and McDonald again shot from the corner of the area after 25 minutes, with Arthur having to tip his effort over the bar.

The pressure was beginning to increase with numerous Airdrie corners, and they did deservedly equalise after 36 minutes. A corner from the Airdrie left was not cleared, despite at least two Jags defenders making an attempt to do so, and it reached Taylor at the back post, who scored with a low left-footed volley. There was still time for McDonald to miss the best of the three chances he had in the first half, but right before half-time he dragged a left-foot shot wide after a cross followed an Airdrie break down their right side.

The thought of a similar 45 minutes was not an inspiring one for the fans to contemplate during the interval, but fortunately the game improved in the second half. Thistle were initially on the back foot, and only great tackles from Jimmy Gibson and Scott Boyd prevented Airdrie from seriously threatening the Jags goal.

It was another Airdrie attack that, ironically, led to the Jags winning goal, as Thistle launched an incisive and extremely quick counter-attack. Derek Young, ignoring home appeals for offside, raced away down the Airdrie left, and did very well to look up and see Strachan racing through the centre. The winger must have made up 50 yards to make it into the penalty area, and to his great credit he retained enough composure to slot the ball past Robertson.

Thistle were now playing much better football, and in a move very similar to the one that led to Donnelly’s goal at Palmerston last week, Jimmy Gibson broke into the Airdrie box, but just got crowded out before he was able to shoot. Strachan could have also secured a more comfortable win when he was again able to exploit his pace on the counter, but his cut inside and shot after 70 minutes went straight at Robertson, leaving a frustrated Mark Roberts in support wondering whether a pass might have been the better option.

Consequently, the last 10 minutes were anything but comfortable for Thistle, with Kenny Arthur twice producing outstanding saves to deny Airdrie a share of the points. First up was Taylor again, whose low shot following a corner produced a great stop from Kenny, and then arguably an even better save, at point blank range, denied a suspiciously offside-looking Bryan Prunty an equaliser.

Apart from a touchline confrontation that saw an agitated Sandy Stewart warned by the referee, and a few defiant Nazi salutes from the Airdrie fans, that was that. After failing to win in Airdrie for something ridiculous like 23 years, we have now achieved this feat twice under Dick Campbell, and join St Johnstone as somewhat unlikely joint leaders of the First Division.

Man of the match:
STEVIE CAMPBELL - Unlike previous reports, there are a few candidates this week. Arthur obviously deserves praise for his superb display in the closing stages that ensured an away win, and any of the back four could justifiably claim the award, as could Young who worked very hard and brilliantly set up Strachan for the winner. I’m going for Campbell though – an injury to McCulloch meant he was playing in an unaccustomed left-back position, and in a fixture that must not be the easiest environment for a young player without much first-team experience. He seemed genuinely delighted at the end, and he wins this week’s award.

Thistle: Arthur 8, Sives 7, Campbell 8, Boyd 7, Keogh 8, Brady 5, J Gibson 6, Donnelly 7, Young 7 (G Gibson 81), Roberts 7 (McConalogue 86), Strachan 6 (B Gibson 75).
Unused subs; Tuffey, Ferguson

Airdrie U: Robertson, McKenna, Lovering, Smyth, Taylor, McKeown (Holmes 73), MacDougall (Twigg 74), MacDonald, Prunty, McPhee, Barrau.
Unused subs; Hollis, Christie, McGowan