Saturday 22nd October, 2022 at 6:24pm
Match Report written by Chris Toner
Following the midweek Premier Sports Cup exit at the hands of Aberdeen, it was back to league action for Thistle as we welcomed Queen’s Park to Firhill for a Glasgow derby.
The Jags entered the match top of the cinch Championship on goal difference thanks to last Saturday’s 2-1 win away to Hamilton. Despite not having won in their last three games, the Spiders started the day in sixth position, but only three points adrift of top spot in a highly competitive league so far.
After a spell on the bench, Jamie Sneddon’s impressive outing last week at the ZLX Stadium led to him once again getting the nod in goal ahead of David Mitchell. Other than that, Ian McCall made three changes from the side that lost 4-1 at Pittodrie on Wednesday. Ross Docherty and Kevin Holt did not make the squad on the day and were replaced by Kyle Turner and Lee Hodson, while Brian Graham came in for Anton Dowds.
The first best chance fell to Queen’s Park in the fifth minute as Jack Thomson put in a dangerous looking cross from the right that Sneddon had to tip behind for a corner to be certain.
Thistle’s first chance came in the 11th minute through Turner as the 24-year-old drove in from the right before blazing a shot over the bar from the edge of the box. He almost turned provider eight minutes later as he played out a pass to the left for Scott Tiffoney, whose shot was blocked.
Thistle were awarded a penalty in the 21st minute as Brian Graham’s header on the end of a Tiffoney cross came off the hand of a Queen’s Park defender. Aaron Muirhead stepped up to take the penalty and sent Calum Ferrie the wrong way, but the ball rattled the inside of the post and bouncing. Thistle came close again on 25 minutes as Steven Lawless played it out left to Graham, whose shot was saved by the foot of Ferrie.
Just a minute later, Queen’s Park found themselves ahead against the run of play as Tommy Robson got onto the end of a pass in the box and slotted past Sneddon.
Thistle spent the rest of the half chasing an equaliser. On the half hour mark, Stuart Bannigan’s shot from just outside the box clipped the crossbar and just two minutes later Graham headed down Tiffoney’s cross for Turner, but the former Stranraer man’s chance was blocked behind for a corner. Tiffoney also came close as he forced Ferrie to turn it behind and on the stroke of half time, Graham’s outstretched foot could not get onto the end of a downward header in the box.
McCall looked to shake up the team at the break by bringing on Darren Brownlie for Hodson. He would be forced into another change just minutes into the second half as Tiffoney picked up a knock and had to be replaced by Cammy Smith.
Things went from bad to worse for Thistle in the 51st minute as Queen’s Park doubled their lead a Stephen Eze headed in from a Dom Thomas corner. Thistle screamed out for another penalty minutes later as they felt a defender handled a shot by Smith before Turner put the ensuing chance wide.
Within a minute at the other end, Sneddon denied captain Simon Murray, but he could not keep out Josh McPake’s effort. The Rangers loanee came close again on the hour mark as his shot from the edge of the box came off the post.
With just over a quarter of the game still to go, Harry McMillan forced a save out of Ferrie. From there, the ball fell to Harry Milne on the left and his shot came off the bar. The visitors were not happy with just three as Celtic loanee Johnny Kenny fired a shot straight at Sneddon with just over ten minutes to go. They found their fourth with four minutes left as McPake bagged his brace, completing a miserable afternoon for the Jags.
Thistle now find themselves second in the table following the heavy loss, but only a point behind Inverness Caledonian Thistle who drew with Raith Rovers.
Thistle can go back to the top of the table with a draw or victory in our game in hand against Ayr United. That game takes place this coming Tuesday, 25th October at Somerset Park with a 7.45pm kickoff.
