SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Sun 19 November, 2017. Kick Off: - 15:00
Tynecastle Stadium
Supporters Information:
UPDATE: At 21:00 on Saturday 18th November, Hearts confirmed this game will go ahead as scheduled.
Ticket Information:
This match is an ALL-TICKET match. There will NOT be a cash gate on the day.
Matchday Information:
Turnstiles will open 1 hour 30 minutes before kick off and all Jags fans are advised to arrive early to ensure entry to the stadium in plenty of time for kick off.
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
Q Club – 11:20
Station Bar – 11:30
Non members welcome.
Please call 07979496154 or email to book.
Jordanhill Branch:
Pick ups:
Jordanhill Station – 13:00
Thornwood Bar – 13:05
Prices:
£16 for adults
£8 for concessions
All Jags fans are welcome but booking is essential.
For seats please contact Alistair on 07817612563 or email
For general enquires please contact Iain on 07779668357 or email
North-West Branch:
Pick ups:
Milngavie Station – 12:30
Esquire House – 12:50
Maryhill Community Halls – 13:00
Prices:
£14 for adults
£8.50 for concessions.
There was one question on everyone’s lips as Alan Archibald sat down with ptfc.co.uk ahead of Sunday’s match against Hearts. And with safety certificate speculation filling the back pages it would be easy to get distracted but the Jags boss was quick to play down any potential issues, insisting that preparation was going ahead as normal.
He said: “All the speculation and rumours are just that for us and we just need to put it all out of our heads and prepare as normal for our game on Sunday because, as far as we are concerned, it is definitely going to go ahead. Our whole week has been aimed at that and we’re desperate for it to be on to be honest.”
Preferring to focus on the match itself rather than discus the different potential outcomes Archibald said: “It’ll be a massive test. We’ve had a wee bit of preparation in terms of what to expect when we went to Easter Road on the first day of the season so we have an idea of what it will be like. We need to use that atmosphere and turn it against Hearts. We can do that if we start well, they’ll be there for the party atmosphere but we’ll be looking to spoil that party hopefully.
“The three points are even more vitally important for us now because we don’t play next week and that gives other teams the chance to get points on the board and build momentum. Something has to give every weekend and it will stand us in good stead if we can get the three points this weekend.
“The league is so tight just now and there are some massive games coming up. If we can get three points on Sunday it puts us back within touching distance of Hearts which puts us into a strong position going into December. There are so many games in December that everyone ends up playing everyone and taking points off each other which can seriously open the league up again.
“From our point of view we want the league to be as tight as possible through December so that when we come back from the winter break it’s still all to play for.”
The Jags came away with a point the last time the two sides met – a match that should have been played at Tynecastle but was flipped to accommodate the Gorgie side – and it could have been three but for a dubious goal line decision that favoured the visitors.
“It was a strange game last time we played them because there was a bit of dubiety over whether their goal was over the line but, truth be told, they probably deserved it for their general play over the 90 minutes. The last few games have been very tight and there are a lot of similarities between the teams in terms of injury problems. All in all it should make for a good game.”
So far Thistle’s season has been massively impacted by injuries and although none of the longer term casualties will return there is some good news.
“Chris Erskine returns to fitness after missing the last squad with a calf strain and we have a fitness test planned for Martin Woods who took a knock to his ankle. Other than that we still haven’t got any real progress to report on the longer term ones so they’re all still unavailable.”
More exclusive preview interviews with Daniel Devine, Ryan Edwards and Jags gaffer, Alan Archibald, are now available to Jagzone subscribers – log in now to see them.
Jagzone members will also be able to watch extended highlights of the game.
Can’t make it to the Tynecastle Park? Jagzone members can listen to live audio commentary of the match. JagZoneLIVE begins at 2:30pm on Sunday.
For a full list of all the great content you can access from just £5.99 per month as a Jagzone member, click here.
Article Copyright © 2017. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Having suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Rangers to begin November, Partick Thistle had two weeks to dwell on the loss as the Ladbrokes Premiership went on its final international hiatus of the year. The jags’ return to action came at the reopened Tynecastle Park as they took on Hearts in their second and final game of the month. Much like Thistle, the hosts came into the clash off the back of a loss having been beaten 2-1 by Kilmarnock at Murrayfield two Sundays prior to this afternoon’s meeting.
Alan Archibald made but a solitary change to the line-up who started at Ibrox with Conor Sammon, who was ineligible for the game as he is on-loan at Thistle from Hearts, dropping out and being replaced by Chris Erskine who returned to the squad after overcoming a calf problem which saw him miss the Jags’ trip to Ibrox. The only other alteration to the team who began the match in Govan was a positional one with Blair Spittal filling in at left wing-back as Steven Lawless occupied a more attacking role on the Thistle left.
Hearts kicked the game off following some pre-match pyrotechnics and it was the hosts who threatened first in front of the redeveloped Tynecastle Park main stand, ten minutes in. David Milinkovic burst down the left wing into space before cutting inside. He laid the ball off to Kyle Lafferty who then saw his attempt blocked. No effort on target for the hosts but a statement of intent from the Jambos early on.
Lafferty had another opportunity in the 18th minute. Thistle’s stand-in skipper, Daniel Devine, failed to clear a low cross from the right and Kyle Lafferty was able to control. The former Norwich forward moved onto his left foot and tried a shot but his effort bent wide of the target.
The match then went quiet for around 25 minutes with only half chances to be had for either side as they both struggled to break the other down. However, the best chance of the match so far fell with a minute to go until half-time and it fell for the visitors. Aaron Hughes’ sloppy touch allowed Miles Storey to nip in and steal the ball. He then burst goalward, breaking into the box and as he did so, he attempted to reverse the ball into the far corner. He shot with his left foot but shot a couple of yards wide of Jon McLaughlin’s left-hand post and that’s how things stayed going into the break.
The first goal of the game came just eight minutes after the restart and it came for the home side. Arnaud Djoum fed the ball to Isma Goncalves on the left wing and the Portuguese attacker used some quick footwork to create space as he cut inside. The ex-St. Mirren man then fired a low, right-footed shot goalward beating Tomas Cerny as Kyle Lafferty leapfrogged the shot. The goal represented the first time that Hearts had taken the lead against Thistle in four meetings dating back to December of last year. Quickly following the goal, Alan Archibald made his first substitution of the afternoon as Kris Doolan came on for Miles Storey in the 57th minute.
With chances few and far between for either side between the hour mark and the 80th minute, Archibald made his remaining two changes as his side looked to get back into things. Kevin Nisbet and Gary Fraser came on for Steven Lawless and Chris Erskine.
As the Jags pushed they would get their levelling goal and it came through earlier substitute Kris Doolan. Blair Spittal whipped in a free-kick from the Thistle left and a number of bodies went up for it. The ball fell in the box and bounced towards Doolan and the ever-lively striker struck it home expertly to make it 1-1 with just five minutes of normal time remaining.
There was to be no further goal mouth action as the match ended in a draw on Hearts’ return home. Kris Doolan was the Jambos’ party-pooper as his late strike salvaged a point for the travelling Jags which moves them to within a point of Kilmarnock in tenth position.
Thistle’s next game comes in two weeks’ time due to the Betfred Cup final as the Jags take on Hibernian on Saturday the 2nd of December. Kick-off is 15:00 from the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.
After losing 3-0 at Ibrox two weeks ago, Partick Thistle looked to get back on track this afternoon with a visit to Hearts. The Jags travelled to Edinburgh knowing that a win would take them above Kilmarnock into tenth place. However, the victory wasn’t looking likely when Isma Goncalves fired the Jambos in front on 54 minutes. Nevertheless, Thistle would salvage a point as Kris Doolan struck home in the 85th minute to equalise bringing the Maryhill men to within a point of Killie and two clear of Dundee. Thistle boss, Alan Archibald spoke to ptfc.co.uk following the match.
The gaffer was pleased with his team’s overall performance, feeling the Jags deserved the point they got.
“We silenced them. They started brightly but we took the sting out of their game quickly. Going into the break, we’d had the best chance of the half and overall, Tomas Cerny didn’t actually have much to do. Our shape was good and we kept them away from our goal. When their goal came, I didn’t think that they deserved it. It was good work from their lad but we should defend it better. In the end, I was happy with our character; we didn’t give up. I felt we had at least another great chance left in us and I said that to Kris when he went on. Luckily, that came to fruition.”
Archie commented on the uncertainty surrounding the game as Tynecastle’s redevelopment cast doubt over whether the stadium would be given the green light to host the fixture.
“Towards the end of the week, when we still didn’t have an answer it was a bit annoying. I’m sure it was playing on the players mind over the last couple of days but it was important that we didn’t let it affect our football. You don’t want to let these distractions creep in; you want focus on the task in hand but that’s tough in a situation like this.”
Archie spoke in more detail about Kris Doolan who, as he so often does, made the difference today off the bench with the leveller.
“Kris is a brilliant player to have as a manager. He has that knack for scoring important goals which is crucial for us. He’s had a few small injuries so far this season and that’s stopped him from going on one of his runs but he’s still got five goals so far this season which is not to be sniffed at. A couple of times we’ve asked him to come off the bench and make a difference and he’s done it; he assisted Miles Storey’s winner against Dundee and has scored today for example.”
The Jags now have another two weeks until they have another Ladbrokes Premiership match due to the Betfred Cup final next weekend. The Jags next game comes at home to Hibernian. Kick-off is 15:00 from the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill on Saturday the 2nd December.
A more in depth video interview with Alan Archibald is available now to Jagzone subscribers and will be followed by reaction from Kris Doolan and Steven Lawless. Log in now to see it as soon as it is available.
Jagzone subscribers can rewatch the full 90 minutes soon.
Highlights will be added shortly and will be free for Jagzone subscribers.
For a full list of all the great content you can access from just £5.99 per month as a Jagzone member, click here.
Article Copyright © 2017. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Sun 19 November, 2017
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
Tynecastle Stadium
Hearts are pushing for the winner but their final ball is letting them down massively at the moment.
There will be at least three added minutes.
A Blair Spittal free-kick falls in the box and who else but Kris Doolan is there to pounce on the loose ball and turn home.
Lafferty's half-volley is deflected just past Tomas Cerny's left-hand post.
Spittal wins the corner kick after a run into the Hearts box.
Cowie's free-kick from wide finds Berra who rises high. He tries to direct it goalwards but misses the far stick by some margin.
Both teams enjoying spells of possession at the moment although real chances aren't forthcoming as yet.
Goncalves cuts in from the right and curls an effort on goal. Lafferty jumps over it and it finds the bottom corner.
After a poor touch by Hughes, Miles Storey has a chance to burst goalwards. He breaks into the box and tries to reverse the ball into the far corner with his left foot but misses by a couple of yards.
Milinkovic fires an effort over from 25 yards with his right foot.
Milinkovic sees a powerful strike blocked before Ross Callachan then drags an effort well wide on the spin from 25 yards.
Berra meets Cowie's corner; heading back across goal. McGinn clears off the line but a free kick is given against Berra anyway for climbing.
Erskine is back to turn Smith's low cross behind.
A headed clearance falls to Djoum who chests and hits on the half-volley. His left foot swings at it but slices it into the air and off target.
After a decent Thistle attack where Chris Erskine scuffed a shot, Milinkovic is tackled by Devine for a corner.
Berra turns Erskine's cross behind.
Devine fails to clear a cross and it lands at the feet of Kyle Lafferty. The ex-Rangers striker turns and strikes with his left foot but it bends wide from around 15 yards.
Spittal's delivery is met by Keown who heads it as he falls backwards. His looping header is going towards the back post but goes a few yards over.
Milinkovic gets in behind on the right wing. He cuts inside before laying the ball to Lafferty. Lafferty's shot is blocked and then cleared as Hearts complete their first dangerous attack of the afternoon.
Barton is cautioned for pulling at Isma Goncalves as the number 77 broke.
Isma Goncalves hits a low free-kick from just over 20 yartds. It's an easy save for Cerny in the end.
Hearts get the game underway here at Tynecastle Park.
Hello and welcome to the ptfc.co.uk live text commentary for Partick Thistle's clash with Hearts at Tynecastle Park.
We have just received the news that kick-off has been delayed so the match will now begin at 15:15.
Both teams return from the international break off the back of defeats in their last league outings. The Jags suffered a 3-0 loss at the hands of Rangers at Ibrox while Hearts were dealt a 2-1 defeat by Kilmarnock at Murrayfield two sundays ago.
Alan Archibald makes just one change to the side who began the match in Govan a fortnight ago. The inelligble Conor Sammon drops out of the starting line-up and the squad with Chris Erskine returning to the squad to take his place having recovered from a calf problem. The bench is made up by Ryan Scully, Kris Doolan, Andy McCarthy, Milan Nitriansky, Kevin Nisbet and Gary Fraser, who will be looking for more action having made his first senior appearance since April of last year, when he came on as a sub against the Gers.
The side's now have 15 extra minutes to prepare with but we'll be with you at 15:15 for kick-off.