Saturday 21st September, 2013 at 2:12pm
Defeat last Saturday against Aberdeen was a bitter disappointed for all associated with Partick Thistle. Tomorrow afternoon, however, provides us with the opportunity to bounce back in the best possible fashion; with three points against Kilmarnock.
Heads were a little down immediately after last Saturday’s game but as manager Alan Archibald revealed when speaking to [link:HOME] earlier today focus is now well and truly on tomorrow’s home game with Kilmarnock.
“The players were a bit down on Monday but after a week’s training they are focused and ready to go against Kilmarnock tomorrow. Obviously last week’s game was a big disappointment for us; more so because it was individual errors that cost each of the three goals. Although Aberdeen played well and deserved their win that was one of the most disappointing things about the defeat. I’ve stressed to the players the importance of not making mistakes even when you are not playing well. If you can do that, and avoid giving goals away, then you can stay in a game even when not playing well. Last week we didn’t do that. Individual errors and having too many players playing below their best was our undoing last week.”
Alan continued;
“The players though are more than aware that they didn’t perform last week. It was a painful lesson for them to learn but if they have learned from it then it might well prove to be a lesson worth learning.”
Tomorrow’s opponents, Kilmarnock, have yet to collect their first Premiership win of the season and in Alan’s opinion that makes them dangerous opponents.
“Somebody said to me that with Kilmarnock not having won yet that it was a good time for us to be playing them. They’ve got to win at some point though and by all accounts they were the better side for spells last week against Inverness and were unlucky not to take something from the game. They will be difficult opponents, no mistake about that. It will be important for us to start the game well and hopefully take advantage of any lack of confidence that Kilmarnock might have. Equally though they will be thinking the same thing as we are going into the match on the back of a bad result.”
Finally Alan was able to give us the all important team news.
“Jordan McMillan played the full 90 minutes of the under 20 game at St Johnstone during the week but he’s now hurt his thigh and will be a doubt for tomorrow. Jordan really has had no luck at all this season. Other than Jordan everyone is fit. Conrad Balatoni has trained all week but he trained Thursday and Friday of last week before having to pull out so we’re hoping that he will be okay for tomorrow’s game. Sean Welsh, as well as having played last week, has now had the benefit of two full week’s of training.”
Partick Thistle Stats
Current Form – Last Five Games
W D L F A
2 1 2 6 7
Scorers Season 2013-2014
Steven Lawless 3
Aaron Muirhead 2
Conrad Balatoni 1
Kris Doolan 1
Christie Elliott 1
Ross Forbes 1
Kallum Higginbotham 1
Stephen O’Donnell 1
Last Game
Scottish Premiership
Saturday September 14th 2013
Partick Thistle 0, Aberdeen 3
Kilmarnock Stats
Current Form – Last Five Games
W D L F A
0 1 4 3 7
Scorers Season 2013-2014
Kris Boyd 2
Barry Nicholson 2
Last Game
Scottish Premiership
Saturday September 14th 2013
Kilmarnock 1, Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2
Last Meeting
Scottish Premier League
Saturday May 15th 2004
Partick Thistle 2, Kilmarnock 2
Teams
Thistle: Pinkowski, Madaschi, Murray, A Gibson (Britton), Strachan (Anis), B Gibson, Mitchell, Mitchell, Fleming, A Ross (Panther), Grady.
Kilmarnock: Smith, Canning (Locke), Lilley, Dindeleux, Hay, Invincible, Fowler, Murray, Boyd, McDonald, Nish (Dargo).
Scorers
Thistle: Grady (20, 90)
Kilmarnock: Boyd (6), Dargo (68)
Crowd: 4,124
Match Details
Scottish Premiership
Saturday September 21st 2013
Partick Thistle v Kilmarnock
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Admission Prices
Programme £3
Other Premiership Fixtures
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21st
Aberdeen v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Celtic v St Johnstone
Hibernian v St Mirren
Ross County v Hearts
SUNDAY SEPTMEBER 22nd
Dundee United v Motherwell
Match Officials
Referee: Bobby Madden
Assistant Referees: Alasdair Ross and Stuart Stevenson
