SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Wed 26 October, 2016. Kick Off: - 19:45
Dens Park, Dundee
Supporter Information:
Visiting supporters are to be accommodated in the Shankly Stand behind the east goal.
Ticket prices for the match will be:
Adults: £22
Concessions: £15
Juveniles: £12
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
Q Club – 17:20
Station Bar – 17:30
Non members welcome.
Please call 07979496154 to book.
Jordanhill Branch:
Pick ups:
Milngavie Station – 17:00
Esquire house – 17:15
Jordanhill Station – 17:25
Maryhill Community Halls – 17:40
Prices:
£16 for adults
£8 for concessions
All Jags fans are welcome but booking is essential.
alternatively you can contact Alistair on 07817612563 or email
For general enquires please contact Iain on 07779668357
North West Branch
Pick ups:
Milngavie Station – 17:00
Esquire house – 17:15
Jordanhill Station – 17:25
Maryhill Community Halls – 17:40
Prices:
£17 for adults
£10.50 for concessions
After a devastating blow came in the 95th minute of Saturday’s match against Ross County, a blow which ultimately cost Thistle the win, Alan Archibald is clearly focussed on righting the wrongs when his side come up against Dundee on Wednesday night. The Thistle gaffer spoke to ptfc.co.uk after training on Tuesday to look forward to Wednesday night and give all the latest team news.
“Saturday felt like the same old story again, we played well and let ourselves down with the late goal. I’ve been here before with the lads and it becomes a mindset which leads to the team as a whole dropping deeper and deeper.
“I know the defence has come in for some criticism but on Saturday it wasn’t just the defenders who were at fault, you have to look elsewhere too. There were plenty of opportunities to deal with the threat and we need to make sure we work as a unit in every area of the pitch.”
Although Saturday was clearly a disappointment, Archibald knows it is vital that the squad take the positives from recent displays.
“We have to take the positives from everything we do and know that it will turn around. We have to keep faith and continue to play the way we have been playing, especially going forward, and work on not dropping too deep during the nervier parts of the game but also ensuring we are cutting the individual errors out of the game.”
Wednesday night’s game is another chance for Thistle to put some distance between themselves and Dundee, something the manager is only too aware of.
“It’s the third or fourth game in a row that has been absolutely massive for us and each week they just seem to get bigger and bigger. The teams are still really bunched up at the lower end of the table and we need to make sure we are making the most of that situation.
“There’s no getting away from the fact that we have had a horrible start but we just need to focus on rectifying that from here on in. Every match at the moment is ever so important and we need to make the most of them. We need to win our games, there is such a thin margin in terms of performances and results but if you get a few results in a row it can make a massive difference.”
Finally, Archie gave us his latest team news, including an update on Liam Lindsay who left the pitch on a stretcher after a nasty looking clash with Ryan Scully.
“Liam should be fine, it was obviously a sore one for him but the reaction was more precautionary than anything else and he will be in the squad for Wednesday night. Chris Erskine could be involved after missing out on Saturday, he trained today so we’ll need to wait and see. Steven Lawless underwent surgery on his groin last week so he now faces around four weeks out as he recovers from that.”
Thistle boss Alan Archibald was clearly delighted with his side’s win over Dundee on Wednesday night – Thistle’s first since the opening day of the season. He spoke to ptfc.co.uk after the full time whistle at Dens to talk through the 2-0 win.
“We’ve waited a long time to get a combination of good performances up front and at the back but we got that today and we’re all delighted with the result. We played well on Saturday and it was really hard to take not winning all three points. It was so important that we took the positives from that performance and brought them into tonight. I think we did that and it paid dividends as we came away with the win.
“It’s always hard to play against Paul Hartley’s teams, we know that from experience as we don’t have a great record up here. We had to work hard for the result today and that makes the win all the more rewarding.”
Ade Azeez was key to Thistle’s victory as he opened the scoring with his first league goal in Jags colours before turning provider by playing an inch perfect pass across the box for Doolan to slot home the second.
“I thought Ade was excellent tonight to be fair. He played well at the weekend and never got the reward so I was delighted to see him get on the scoresheet and bag an assist to boot. It was a great header for the first goal and he has certainly missed easier chances than that so far this season. I hope he takes some confidence from it and goes on a run from here – he certainly has the ability.
“Ade and Dools gave the Dundee real problems tonight and worked as a team to break them down. The two of them haven’t had a lot of time to work on that formation and I felt they could have done better at the weekend but they gave Dundee no rest today which was ever so good to see.”
The three points lifts Archie’s side to ninth spot and the boost his players will take from moving out of the bottom two is not something the Jags boss underestimates.
“All the players read the papers and it’s never nice to see yourselves in the bottom two, no matter what stage of the season you’re at. Moving up the table will breed confidence but we now have to go build on it in a massive game against St Johnstone on Saturday.”
Although there were lots of positives to take away from the City of Discovery, two notable negatives came on the injury front with Osman and Scully both having to leave the field due to injury in the closing stages of the game – the latter clearly in some distress.
“Abdul has just taken a dead leg, it’s a sore one but he should be OK I think. Scully has suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder, he’s off to the hospital so we’ll just need to wait and see how he is. It’s a major blow for the lad as he has been superb for us this season.”
Wed 26 October, 2016
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
Dens Park, Dundee
Thistle are up to 9th place in the table after a well merited 2-0 win over Dundee.
Thistle doing a good job of seeing this game out. The ball keeps getting fired into the Dundee half.
Thistle win a free kick wide of the Dundee box.
FIVE minutes injury time to be added.
Stuckman claims a cross at his near post. Thistle taking a while to re-adjust to the substitutions.
Worrying scenes as Osman also hobbles off the pitch injured.
The 6' 6 German keeper makes his first appearance as a Thistle player.
A decent corner causes problems for Thistle and ends in an almighty clash in the Jags box. It's Scully who is down receiving medical attention and Stuckmann looks set to get his debut.
Dundee free kick, 40 yards out. Given for a pretty soft looking foul by Osman. The chipped ball into the box bounce around before falling perfectly to a Dundee player at the back post. Looking like a certain goal Ryan Scully pounces and parries clear.
There's a bit of pinball happening in the Thistle box here as the visitors struggle to get it clear. The ever cool Barton eventually plays it out to Lindsay who gets it clear up the line. Signs that Dundee are far from done yet.
A brief stopage here as Welsh caught a sore one to the back of the head. He's OK though and play resumes.
Osman winds up and hits one from 25 yards out. Although it definitely had Bain worried it ended up going comfortably wide.
Welsh loops a corner in to the back post but it comes to nothing.
Another Azeez shot from the edge of the area is clawed wide and eventually collectred by Bain at the second time of asking.
Doolan gets a boot to the face and wins a free kick 40 yards from goal. Welsh drills the ball in and Devine does very well to get a flick on the ball only to see it go less than a foot wide of the post.
Thistle are definitely winning the modfield battle so far tonight. Dundee are getting no time and struggling to break through.
Azeez keeps a good night going, working himself some space down the left wing and swinging ina lovely cross. Unfortunately it is just too deep for edwards to latch on to.
GOAL! 2-0 Thistle and who else but Kris DOOOOOOOOLAAN! Azeez does brilliantly to rob the ball from Holt. Driving into the box he gets his head up, gives the ball to Doolan who does what he does so well - slotting home from 10 yards.
Huge chance for Thistle! Doolan slips Azeez through and the goal scorer finds himself one on one with the keeper. Bain is out sharp though and does well to block the shot.
Barton continues to dominate in the air, powerfully heading a Wighton cross clear.
The crowd here at Dens Park is 4,783 and that includes a healthy Jags following.
Elliott works himself a bit of space and unleashes a powerful shot but, unfortunately, it is well over the bar. Thistle holding their line well so far though.
Not much to report so far from the second half. It has been a scrappy midfield affair - in sharp contrast to the first half it must be said.
Free kick to Dundee after Osman blocks Wighton. Edge of the box, wide on the right but it is well cleared by Thistle.
That's us back underway at Dens. We still can't feel our feet though!
And the referee brings to an end a super first half made all the better by a Thistle goal.
Plenty of chances for both sides in a really open contest but Thistle definitely deserve their lead.
Barton has once again impressed in the back three but the midfield has made things tick with Welsh in particular spraying the passes around nicely. Both the wing backs - Booth and Elliott - have supported the attack and Azeez in particular has looked a real threat.
It hasn't all been one sided though and Dundee have certainly had chances. Thistle need to remain focussed in the second half and look to build on their lead after a strong 45 minutes.
We'll be back soon with all the action from the second half. For now though we're away to find a radiator and a Bovril.
1-0 after the first 45.
Haber heads wide from yet another deep cross. Scully always comfortable seeing it wide.
One minute injury time at the end of a truly end to end first half.
Massive chance for Dundee as a fantastic ball is put in to the back post. Loy was in space and had a free header but couldn't connect. With Scully left stranded any connection would surely have brought an equaliser. A let off for the visitors.
The ball almost breaks for Thistle there as Doolan looks to play Welsh through but the pass is just a tiny bit too heavy.
The corner isn't great and Thistle get it clear, only to concede a careless free kick 30 yards from goal. Hateley steps up to hit it but puts it way over the bar.
Superb play from Elliott as he surges forward, almost the entire length of the pitch. A perfectly weighted pass allows Welsh to get a shot away but it's blocked by the Dundee defence.
Thistle just need to watch themselves here as the ball almost falls again for Haber inside the Thistle box. The ever cool Adam Barton steps up to clear under pressure.
Goal Thistle! Azeez finally gets his first league goal and it is truly well deserved for his hard work this evening. Osman drifts a cross deep into the Dundee box and Azeez heads powerfully back across goal and into the net. A well deserved 1-0 to the Jags.
Ryan Edwards is the latest Thistle man to have a shot blocked this time from the edge of the area. Although, truth be told, the Ossy probably had better options.
Thistle knock on the door again as Elliott delivers a good cross to Azeez but he can't get his body shape right and his shot goes over the bar.
Excellent work from Azeez as he uses his power to get clear of the Dundee defence. Only an excelent sliding tackle from the defender prevented the Jags' number 16 from opening the scoring.
Another let off for Thistle as new boy, Haber, found himself in acres of space in the Thistle box. He had time to place a shot but instead chose to square the ball straight to a Jags defender who promptly got the ball clear.
A good strike from distance by Cammy Kerr draws oohs from the home support but in truth it was never threatening Scully's goal.
Plenty of good play from Thistle as Booth puts a couple of dangerous looking crosses in to the box. Good pressure but no breakthrough yet.
Welsh's free kick is to the back post and is headed back across goal. Thistle have bodies in the area but none can connect.
Azeez makes a trasdemark lung busting run down the right wing and wins a deserved free kick to the right hand side of the Dundee box.
So close for Thistle! Welsh's corner is deep but flicked back in to the box only for Azeez to rattle the undersude of the crossbar. A classic stramash followed and Dundee somehow got the ball away.
Excellent play by Welsh sees hiom on the ball in a bit of space. His shot is deflected to Booth wide on the left whose shot come cross is deflected wide for a corner.
It's end to end here as Dundee break from the goal kick only to have the ball intercepted and cleared by Osman. Some good play from Thistle, and Azeez in particular, then gets the ball to Booth in acres of space down the left but his flashed cross goes right through the Dundee box and out the other side.
Decent deep delivery by Welsh is headed back into the danger zone by Adam Barton. Liam Lindsay is alert and goes for an overhead flick but the centre back can't keep it down and it's a goal kick to Dundee.
A decent cross from the left by Dundee is firmly punched by Scully and subsequently cleared by Devine.
That's us kicked off here at Dens.
It's an unchanged line up for Alan Archibald's side as Thistle look to secure a valuable win against Dundee.
The only change to the Thistle 18 is the return of Chris Erskine to the substitutes bench after missing Saturday's game through injury .