One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

The prospect of relegation looms like a storm cloud over Firhill this morning after this 2-1 defeat away at Ross County. This latest reverse saw Thistle fall to eighth in the table, and what once appeared unthinkable is now sadly a distinct possibility.

This was not the worst we have played in recent weeks, but the familiar problems that have haunted us throughout the season remained fully evident. Two almost identical goals were lost due to a shocking inability to defend long throw-ins, and although more chances were created than in either the Gretna or Airdrie games, only the profligacy of the County strikers prevented this from being a heavier defeat.

Caretaker manager Jimmy Bone reverted to a 4-4-2 after the 4-5-1 experiment at Raydale, with Russell and Young returning to the team to form the front pairing. Ferguson and Brady were both invited to watch this one from the bench, with Smith moving forward to central midfield and Archibald, back from suspension, moved into the centre alongside Boyd while McChrystal returned to the starting line-up at left-back. County have been fielding a settled line up in recent weeks but manager Scott Leitch chose to make one change to his side, new loan signing Alan Morgan coming in for Moore at full-back.

Thistle started extremely well, and the first 15 minutes was probably the best we have enjoyed since the last league visit to Dingwall back in December. Adam Strachan was prominent in most of Thistle’s build-up, and he twice got to the bye-line only to fail to pick out one of the forwards. Young had also started well, and he flashed a dangerous cross into the six-yard box that was just too far ahead of Russell.

Referee Craig MacKay then turned down Thistle appeals for a penalty after Russell cut in from the left-hand side and took a shot which appeared to be blocked by the arm of one of the County central defenders. This decision was quickly forgotten as Thistle went ahead shortly after. Strachan was the provider, receiving the ball on the left wing before turning back inside and crossing perfectly for Young, who guided his header low past Matieo Tomei.

Inexplicably, Thistle then stopped playing and allowed Ross County to dominate the rest of the half, and by half-time they had turned it around to lead 2-1. Indeed, the Jags lead only lasted 5 minutes. A Hugh Robertson long-throw wasn’t dealt with by the defence and it fell for Martin Scott who placed a low shot past Tuffey. Losing such a poor goal would surely draw attention to the tactic of aiming long-throws at Andy Dowie, and cashing in on the chaos that follows? Well apparently not, as ten minutes later County repeated the trick, this time Derek Adams was unmarked to score with the aid of what looked like a sizable deflection.

It could have been 3-1 almost from the restart. Archibald stood and watched an aimless clearance bounce into the box, and Dean Shields was allowed to get in a shot that stayed out via Tuffey, the post, and the goal line. By this stage we had completely lost it, and Dowie really should have scored with a free header from a Don Cowie corner that was deflected onto and then over the bar by one of his own players.

Thistle had been rarely seen as an attacking threat since Young’s goal, but did have a couple of promising attacks before the interval, with neither Strachan or John Robertson able to capitalise on the extra men we had going forward. At the other end Shields volleyed narrowly wide at the conclusion of a first half which had promised so much but ultimately succumbed due to customary failings.

This was an open game right from the start (this may well have been down to the ineptitude of both defences rather than two sides determined to play attacking football), and although down at half-time there was always the chance that Thistle could get back into the game. This did not look likely in the period immediately after the restart, and with 30 minutes left Thistle introduced Mark Roberts in an increasingly desperate attempt to salvage a point that could have made all the difference to our season.

Roberts did become an influential figure in the second half, and was involved in the two moments that could have turned this match around. Five minutes after coming on he thought he had scored after finishing well from a Barry Smith though ball, but the raised flag of the assistant referee dashed the travelling fans hopes – a decision Bone later claimed had wrongly denied Thistle a draw.

The same player then missed a wonderful chance to equalise after 75 minutes, but when clean through on goal he could only find the side-netting. It is difficult to criticise Roberts after his goals in the last two seasons, but this was a glaring miss that really should have brought us level. Boyd then headed a Strachan corner just wide as Thistle finally began to re-exert some pressure on the shaky County defence.

With ten minutes to go Thistle came close again, with a Billy Gibson effort from the edge of the area deflecting agonisingly wide, and Robertson heading over from the resultant corner. With Thistle ever more committed in search of crucial equaliser, it was inevitable that we would be left vulnerable at the other end, and County should have sealed their win with both Shields and Sean Higgins somehow failing to score from close range.

The last ten minutes didn’t see the deluge of Jags pressure that may have seen the home defence ultimately concede again, with the only chance being a Billy Gibson cross that missed everyone before drifting past the far post.

There was a full moon in view for most of the tortuous bus journey back to Glasgow (staring at it out the window was certainly preferable to watching the choice of in-bus movie, The Devil Wears Prada). It brought to mind John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival;

‘I see, the bad moon rising
I see, trouble on the way.’

There is still time for Thistle to avoid the play-offs, or even direct relegation. But we need to do it soon.

Man of the match:
ADAM STRACHAN - The official Ross County award went to ex-Jag Andy Dowie, although it must have been close between him and the referee. In fairness to Mr MacKay, the sheer volume of bad decisions meant that Thistle occasionally benefited too. Adam Strachan was probably our best player – he created the goal for Young and at least was prepared to run at and give problems to the County defence.

Thistle: Tuffey 6, Robertson 5, McChrystal 5, Smith 6, Boyd 6, Archibald 5, J Gibson 6 (Ferguson 49, 5), Young 6, Russell 6 (Roberts 58, 6), B Gibson 6, Strachan 7.
Unused subs; Arthur, Sives, Brady.

County: Tomie, McCulloch, Morgan, Dowie, Keddie, Adams (McKinlay 46), Scott, Higgins (Gunn 88), Shields (O’Carroll 85), Cowie, Robertson.
Unused subs; Samson, Moore.