Tue 23 April, 2019
SPFL Ladbrokes Championship 
Somerset ParkSPFL Ladbrokes Championship
Tue 23 April, 2019. Kick Off: - 19:45
Somerset Park
Admission:
Adults – £17
Concessions (OAPs, students and 18-21 year olds) – £11
Under 18s – £6
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
Q Club – 17:45
Station Bar – 18:00
Non members welcome.
Please call 07979496154 or email to book.
John Lambie Jordanhill Branch:
The John Lambie Jordanhill Branch bus is now fully booked.
Pick ups:
Jordanhill Station – 18:00
Thornwood Bar – 18:05
North-West Branch:
Pick ups:
Milngavie Station – 17:45
Esquire House – 18:05
Maryhill Community Halls – 18:20
Non-Members fares:
£14 for adults.
£8 for concessions.
To reserve seats, please e-mail or call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00 pm.
FREE CLUB BUSES
Thursday 18th April, 2019 at 3:59pm
So that as many supporters as possible can make it to our two final away games of the season and create the best atmosphere possible for the players, the Club will be covering the cost of existing supporters buses (City Centre, John Lambie Jordanhill and North West branches) as well as laying on additional buses from the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.
Places on these buses are completely free but there is limited availability so please book early to secure your place.
Booking now open for Ayr United match
If you usually travel on one of the existing supporters buses then please book your place in the usual way.
If you would like to book a place on one of the Club buses please email with your name, contact details and number of places required. All bookings must be made by 2pm on Monday.
Buses will be leaving at 5:45pm and booking is essential.
Booking for Queen of the South match will open next week
Please note alcohol is strictly forbidden on all buses. Anyone trying to bring alcohol onto the bus or found to be consuming alcohol on the bus will be ejected from the bus, with no exceptions.
After Saturday’s win over Alloa, Partick Thistle have an immediate opportunity to put more points on the board as they finally play their game in hand against Ayr United at Somerset Park. The game which was originally scheduled for March 2nd has been reorganised twice but will be played at last this evening with a win taking Thistle from ninth to sixth in the Championship table.
Ayr have swept the Jags in their meetings so far this season but last took on the Maryhill men in October in Gary Caldwell’s second game as boss in Maryhill. The Thistle manager spoke to ptfc.co.uk ahead of the vital midweek fixture and started by reflecting on the weekend’s triumph.
“The game against Alloa was huge in a number of different ways. Obviously, a game against one of the teams around us was always going to be big but to go behind and still fight back and take the win says something about this team and this group of players.
“On top of that, we knew we were starting a week during which we have three important games so to start that week off with a comeback win will hopefully give us confidence to take into tonight’s game at Ayr.”
Although the performance against Alloa wasn’t perfect by any means, Gary was delighted to see the way his team improved on a poor first half to claim all three points.
“We struggled to get up and running in the first half. They got their goal and then defended with a lot of bodies behind the ball which made it tough to find those spaces to work in for our creative guys. The formation didn’t work; we’d wanted the defenders to step forward and use the space in front of them but we didn’t do it enough which is why we changed things.
“Those changes made a difference but I think the key was the change in mentality. We came out for the second half with more hunger and drive which got us back into the game almost immediately. Everyone was pushing forward and pressing which really unsettled Alloa so I want to see more of that over the final three games.”
Coming into the game tonight, Ayr sit third while Thistle occupy ninth position but the gaffer stressed that the Jags can’t fear the Honest Men and must take the game to Ian McCall’s side.
“I’ve been able to go and watch them a few times which has helped with preparation but every time I’ve seen them, they’ve looked like a good side. They have plenty of players who can hurt you and they’ll be looking to build some momentum going into the play-offs so we do have to be aware of what they can do.
“Nevertheless, our mentality is very important again. If we come out like we did in the second half on Saturday with that positive approach then I know we can win. However, if we play like we did in the first half on Saturday then they’ll punish us and that’s where it comes down to the players being tuned in.”
The impact of Thistle’s substitutes against the Wasps on Saturday has given the manager a real selection headache for tonight’s game but Caldwell says that those problems are good ones to have.
“You want to have options and that’s what we’ve had since January. There’s quality in the squad rather than just the starting XI and that means we can bring guys like Joe Cardle off the bench who can make a real difference as he did against Alloa and Dunfermline before that.
“It also means that we can change the shape mid-game like we did at the weekend because we have those options and we have guys who can play in multiple positions.”
Finally, he gave us an update on the squad’s fitness going into the game.
“Jack McMillan is still struggling with his calf injury that forced him off on Saturday so we’ll assess him ahead of the game. Similarly, Blair Spittal took a kick which he’s still suffering from so he’s going to be assessed today as well.
“Apart from those two, there’s no change on the injury front but, of course, Stuart Bannigan comes back from his suspension and it’ll be great to have him back.”
A more detailed discussion with Thistle manager, Gary Caldwell, as well as a preview interview with Stuart Bannigan is available to Jagzone subscribers – log in now to see them.
Jagzone members will also be able to watch extended highlights and a full match replay of the game.
Can’t make it to Somerset Park? Jagzone members can listen to live audio commentary of the match. JagZoneLIVE begins at 2:45pm on Saturday.
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 © 2019. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Thistle travelled to Somerset Park on Tuesday evening looking to move up to sixth in the Ladbrokes Championship table as they finally played a twice rescheduled game against Ayr United.
Gary Caldwell made a few changes to the side which started in a 2-1 win over Alloa Athletic three days prior. Jamie Sneddon retained his spot in goals with a re-organised defence in front of him. The side went back to a four man defence with Christie Elliott, Steven Anderson, Sean McGinty and James Penrice forming the backline. Stuart Bannigan returned from suspension at the base of the midfield alongside Gary Harkins who was brought from the start after an impressive substitute’s showing the previous Saturday against Alloa. Shea Gordon sat just ahead of those two with Aidan Fitzpatrick and Joe Cardle on either side of him, offering attacking support from the wings. Up front, Scott McDonald was the lone striker with Kris Doolan dropping to the bench. On the bench alongside Doolan were Conor Hazard, Steven Saunders, Blair Spittal, Craig Slater, Miles Storey and Lewis Mansell.
Thistle fell behind early on in their weekend fixture against Alloa but were able to avoid a similar situation in Ayrshire as they instead took the lead themselves. A James Penrice cross from the left flank saw Ross Doohan clash with Scott McDonald in the air. Doohan got two hands to the ball but only punched it as far as Shea Gordon who took one touch and fired an excellent half-volley into the top corner, netting his first goal since the opening day of the season.
Joe Cardle almost doubled the lead six minutes later when Shea Gordon won the ball back from Ayr and fed it to the number 32 on the left-hand side. He then cut onto his right foot and fired a shot towards the near post, however, Ross Doohan had it covered and made a simple save.
In the 32nd minute, Scott McDonald was forced off due to a head knock he took in the act of challenging for the ball with Ross Doohan just before Thistle’s goal. He was replaced by Kris Doolan who was making his 400th appearance for Partick Thistle.
Doolan’s first chance of the game came with four minutes of the first half left when Gary Harkins knocked the ball around the corner for the number nine. Doolan ran onto the pass and fired a powerful shot towards goal from a very tight angle though he was only able to find the side netting.
Shea Gordon had an excellent chance to score a second goal of the game on 53 minutes. Doolan fed the ball through to Gordon with a flick between the Ayr defenders and Gordon tried to slot the ball low into the far corner. Unfortunately for the midfielder, Doohan got down sharply to make the save.
Both Blair Spittal and Miles Storey came on for Aidan Fitzpatrick and Joe Cardle respectively to help Thistle see the game out and that’s exactly what they did, claiming a vital three points which took them from ninth to sixth.
The victory made it five games unbeaten for Thistle with just one defeat in their last eight league away games.
PARTICK THISTLE TEAM: Sneddon, Penrice, McGinty, Anderson, Elliott, Bannigan, Harkins, Gordon, Cardle (Storey, 72′), Fitzpatrick (Spittal, 55′), McDonald (Doolan, 32′).
UNUSED SUBS (PTH): Hazard, Saunders, Slater, Mansell.
AYR UNITED TEAM: Doohan, Smith, Rose, Muirhead, Harvie, Kerr, Murdoch (Forrest, 70′), Crawford (McCowan, 82′), Cadden (McDaid, HT), Miller, Moffat.
UNUSED SUBS (AYR): Hare-Reid, Geggan, Ecrepont.
Partick Thistle’s game in hand finally arrived this evening as the Jags travelled to Somerset Park to contest a twice rescheduled game against Ayr United and thankfully for the Maryhill men, it was worth the wait. Thistle followed their win over Alloa on Saturday with a 1-0 triumph over their Ayrshire adversaries, moving up to sixth place in the process. The only goal of the match came after 18 minutes when Shea Gordon fired home a half-volley; his first league goal of the season. As well as climbing to sixth with victory, the Jags are now also five points clear of bottom spot with two games to play. Thistle boss, Gary Caldwell, spoke to ptfc.co.uk following the final whistle:
“That was a very good performance. To be in the position we’re in, under the pressure we are and to play like that shows a lot of character. Nevertheless, it was never about the performance; it was about the three points and we’ve got them.”
Gary singled out Shea Gordon for some praise with the Northern Irishman’s goal ultimately proving decisive in the contest.
“Shea’s been excellent since he’s come back into the team. He’s spent a lot of time out injured and that’s obviously been tough for him but he’s come back with a real determination to make up for lost time. While he was injured, he was going back and forth between here and Motherwell but you could tell he never lost his connection to this team and he’s been giving his all since he’s been back.
“Whenever he’s on the pitch, he puts in 100% so it was good to see him rewarded tonight with that winning goal.”
The gaffer also paid tribute to Kris Doolan who made his 400th appearance as a Thistle player coming off the bench in the first half.
“He’s a brilliant player and professional. It’s brilliant what he’s done for this Club over the years but also what he continues to do each and every day. He’s another extremely hard worker and that showed today. Coming on in the first half is never easy but he got right to it and even ended up playing in midfield towards the end of the game which shows his commitment to the cause.
“He’s a great asset for this football Club and to have someone like him in the squad is invaluable.”
After a dreadful first half of the season on the road Thistle have now lost just once in their last eight league games away from home and Caldwell says that it’s all down to the players.
“It’s about the spirit the boys have shown because in these away games, you’re never going to get everything your own way and there are going to be spells when you have your back against the wall and the team have shown an ability to get through those spells recently that wasn’t there before.”
Gary also gave us an update on the condition of Scott McDonald who was substituted during the first half after picking up a head knock in the lead up to Shea Gordon’s goal.
“He took a pretty hefty hit to the head as he challenged for a cross and although I’m not someone who’ll take players off whenever they get a knock, it got to a point where Scott didn’t know where he was positionally and he was having some vision problems so we’ll assess him tomorrow and see what approach we have to take.”
A more in depth video interview with Gary Caldwell is available now to Jagzone subscribers as well as reaction from Kris Doolana and Shea Gordon – log in now to see them.
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 © 2019. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk
Spittal squares from the left but first Doolan and then Storey have their shots blocked.
Ayr fizz a ball across goal and luckily for Thistle it goes wide of the far post.
He takes the free kick but it's into the wall. His rebound is blocked.
Spittal is brought down right on the edge of the box.,
Cardle fires a fierce shot from distance. The keeper can't hold it but manages to gather before Doolan can get to it.
Great chance for Thistle! Doolan slips through Gordon and he only had Doohan to beat but the keeper saves well.
Harkins knocks it through but Kris Doolan can only hit the side netting from a very tight angle.
Gordon wins the ball and slides it to Cardle. He cuts inside but his effort doesn't trouble the keeper.
Penrice puts a good ball in, Doohan punches clear from McDonald. It comes to Shea GORDON who curls the ball into the top corner
Thistle break from an Ayr corner. Gordon gathers just outside the Thistle box and takes it the length of the pitch before cutting inside. Unfortunatly his shot is over the bar