Tue 8 May, 2018
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
The Energy Check Stadium at FirhillSPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Tue 8 May, 2018. Kick Off: - 19:45
The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill
A point on Friday night kept hopes of avoiding a playoff spot alive for Jags fans, even if it wasn’t the win they had hoped for. Although there are a multitude of different outcomes based on results elsewhere, Alan Archibald was quite clear what his focus would be on. The Jags boss spoke to ptfc.co.uk just after training on Monday afternoon.
“The situation hasn’t really changed to be honest. One team is out of trouble now but we still have a chance of catching Hamilton. To do that though we have to, first and foremost, win our game on Tuesday night. Motherwell are a good side and I think Saturday was very unlike them. Judging by Steven’s comments after the game I think they’ll probably strengthen again. It’s important that we take care of our own business though and we can’t be worrying about what the teams around us might do. We need to start well and look after ourselves – that’s what we can influence.
“The way the goal difference sits at the moment I think we’re looking at two wins to secure our place in the league for definite. At least we know what we need to do though, we need to go out and win. Thankfully we’re at home as well and that should give the lads a boost.
“At the start of the split we knew we would need to win two or three games and we haven’t done that yet. We remain unbeaten which is definitely a positive but our situation is very clear and we know exactly what we need to do. Win our two remaining games – that, first and foremost, is our target.
The last time Thistle and Motherwell met at the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill it resulted in a nerve shredding 3-2 victory for the home side and Archibald would definitely take a replica – at least of the first half performance!
“We’d certainly take the first half performance – although I’m not sure I could take that last 10 minutes again! As I say, we played very well in the first half and I would definitely welcome a similar performance on Tuesday night.”
Nervousness is part and parcel of football at this time of the season but Archie insists his players won’t be negatively affected by the pressure.
“We really haven’t sensed a nervousness in the players which I think is a good one. The first time we really felt it was when we went one up against County on Friday night there. I thought we had a crazy five or 10 minutes where we were doing things that we hadn’t been doing – jumping into tackles, giving away silly fouls and misplacing passes. I think some of that comes from us not really having been ahead in games though and it’s times like that when we need to look to our more experienced guys to calm everyone down.
“We’re aware of the pressure – we all are. But we need to try and be as positive as we can near the start of the game and keep the focus on the match. If we’re concentrating on what we’re doing through the match then everything else will fade into the background. You get the best out of some people when they’re under pressure – a lot of players thrive on it and it’s down to us to get the most out of the players when it matters most.”
Finally Archibald gave ptfc.co.uk an update on the fitness of his squad.
“We picked up a couple of knocks after the County game so Baily Cargill is 50/50 after he got a gash in his leg that required stitches and young Andy McCarthy picked up a knock too so he is a bit of a doubt. We’ll give them every chance and see where we are come kick off.”
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Article Copyright © 2018. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate written permissions, source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
It was another disappointing night at the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill for Partick Thistle as Motherwell took all three points courtesy of Ryan Bowman’s second half header. With results elsewhere going in the Jags’ favour, a victory would have eliminated the spectre of automatic relegation ahead of a trip to Dens Park on Saturday. As it stands, Thistle head into the final game of the Ladbrokes Premiership still in danger of being automatically relegated to the Ladbrokes Championship.
It was a clearly disappointed Alan Archibald who spoke to ptfc.co.uk after the dust had settled on the match.
“The result overrides everything. The performance at this stage of the season doesn’t matter, it is just all about getting the points and tonight we got nothing. We played well in the first half and created a number of opportunities but didn’t take anything. We were punished by a free header from a set piece and that has killed us in the last three games – all the goals against have resulted from set pieces.”
The Jags created a number of opportunities during the first half and were made to rue their profligacy in front of goal.
“We started on the front foot and Conor had the first chance after a couple of minutes which set the tone. We threatened Motherwell and they had to change their shape at half time to stop us being effective, which was credit to how the lads were playing. When they got ahead, they are very good defensively and they have the experience to grind out another clean sheet.”
With all of the bottom three losing this evening, finishing 11th remains in the Jags hands with a trip to Dundee on Saturday.
“That’s the only positive to take. It is still in our own hands and if we go to Dens Park on Saturday and win then Ross County can’t catch us. It’s disappointing because the results went for us tonight and if we had got the win, or even a draw, we could have gone to Dundee with a chance of catching Hamilton but that’s gone now.
“It’s unrealistic to expect us to catch Hamilton Accies due to the goal difference swing but we can make sure that we go into the playoffs with a positive result. We’ve got to believe we can go there and win the game.”
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Article Copyright © 2018. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Minimum of 5 minutes additional time to be played.
Motherwell free kick near the coner of the Thistle box. When the ball comes in Devine nearly heads into his own net butr Cerny saves.
Elliott's effort, cutting in from the left, is pushed round the post.
Thistle need to regain focus. Main curls an effort a foot or so over the crossbar.
Hugely controversial moment. Free the soft, to say the least, free kick Motherwell open the sscoring. Turnbull floats the free kick right onto the head of Bowman who heads home.
Motherwell win a very soft free kick at the right hand corner of the Thistle box.
The Thistle fans sound as if they aware of the news that Dundee lead 1-0 at Ross County.
Sammon is inches away with a shot from the edge of the box. He appeals for a corner as the ball goes wide of Carson's left hand post.
Cadden crosses straight into the arms of Cerny.
Barton makes an important challenge as Motherwell through Turnbull threaten the Thistle goal.
Erskine crosses from the left but Sammon isn't able to take control of the ball when it comnes his way.
Half a chance for Woods but he can't direct his shot from the edge of the box on target.
A Woods chipped pass is missed by the Motherwell defence. Edwards gathers the ball but can't find a Thistle man with his cross. Thistle pick up the loose ball and Sammon's cross is headed behind for a corner.
Cerny, just, gets the corner clear.
Carson can't hold a shot from woods but before Doolan can collect the ball it's clawed behind for a corner.
Carson is able to claim Woods' corner.
Thistle udner pressure but McGinn eventually clears.
Cerny claws the corner clear.
Barton's dangerous ball in from the right is headed clear.
Bowman has a shot for Motherwell but the ball spins wide of target
Cerny gets enough of a hand to get Hendrie's corner clear.
A flurry of Motherwell corners come to nothing.
Nearly the breakthrough for Thistle. The ball comes in from the right and Edwards’s header is saved by Carson with Sammon unable to collect the loose ball.
Almost a dream start for Thistle. Doolan crosses from almost on the bye line and Sammon stoops to reach the ball but his header goes across the face of goal.
The tension is mounting ahead of what could be Firhill's last game of the season. Something that could be a good thing. Or something that could be an awful thing. Tonight's 90 minutes might go some way in determining which it will be.
Just one change has been made to the side that started against Ross County on Friday. Andrew McCarthy misses out due to injury with Adam Barton the player drafted into the starting eleven. Whether that will mean a change in shape we will find out once this vital game has kicked-off.