Saturday 1st September, 2012 at 8:54pm
Thistle this afternoon consolidated their position at the top of the First Division with an ultimately comprehensive victory over Hamilton.
Looking to record a fourth successive league win Jackie McNamara, with Hugh Murray available after missing Tuesday’s game, reverted back to the side that defeated Dumbarton seven days earlier. New loan signing Steven Craig meantime took up a place on the bench, although he would make an appearance inside the first 30 minutes.
It was Hamilton that were the better side in the opening quarter of this game. Their loan signing from St Johnstone, Steven May, was causing Thistle problems and in the 13th minute Thistle were grateful to Scott Fox who, not once but twice, saved to deny May a goal.
It took Thistle a bit of time to get going but in the 25th minute there was positive signs with Aaron Muirhead managing to get his head to a Stuart Bannigan free kick but he wasn’t able to keep his header down and the ball cleared the bar.
Thistle though were again thankful to Scott Fox for keeping out another effort from May after Hugh Murray had been caught in possession deep inside his own half.
As half-time neared Sean Welsh was starting to have an increasing influence on proceedings. In the 40th minute he pushed the ball through to Steven Lawless who was denied by Cuthbert with the loose ball headed behind for a Thistle corner. It was from the corner that followed that Thistle took the lead. Steven Lawless’ corner was flicked on and when the ball came off the underside of the Hamilton bar, Sean Welsh was on hand to force the ball home from right on the goal line.
Hamilton nearly produced a quick fire response and Fox was again called into action. This time producing a fine stop to tip an Ali Crawford effort over the bar.
The half finished with Thistle on top for just about the first time in the afternoon. Good work from Stephen O’Donnell forced a corner on the right and Paul Paton, after collecting a pass from Sean Welsh, saw his shot saved by Kevin Cuthbert. Given the sluggish start to the game few Thistle fans were complaining about only taking a one goal advantage into the dressing room at half-time.
Eleven minutes after the restart Thistle had a second goal in controversial circumstances. Hamilton keeper Kevin Cuthbert certainly felt that he was fouled as Paul Paton’s corner came over but play was allowed to continue and after Chris Erskine nodded the ball on, Steven Craig forced the ball home to make a scoring debut.
In the 64th minute Thistle took a giant stride to making the points secure. It had been to this point one of the quieter afternoons for Chris Erskine and Steven Lawless but the two combined for Thistle’s third goal. Erskine crossed from the right and Lawless steered the ball into the bottom of the net.
The fourth Thistle goal in the 86th minute was a somewhat fortunate one and the kind that you rarely scorte in a tight game. Kevin Cuthbert, who had been in excellent form in his side’s win over Thistle on Tuesday, saw his clearance strike Steven Craig and fly past him and into the back of the net.
