SPFL Ladbrokes Championship
Sat 3 November, 2018. Kick Off: - 15:00
Cappielow Park
Fixture Information:
Admission Details:
This fixture is a PAY AT THE GATE fixture.
Prices:
Adults – £20
Concessions – £15
12-17 year olds – £5
Under 12s – £1
A concession is classed as a person between the ages of 18 and 20, 65 and older or a student with a valid matriculation card.
Disabled supporters pay the concession rate with a free carer included in their ticket price.
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
Q Club – 1:20
Station Bar – 1:30
Non members welcome.
Please call 07979496154 or email to book.
John Lambie Jordanhill Branch:
Pick ups:
Jordanhill Station – 13:45
Thornwood Bar – 13:50
Prices:
£12 for adults
£6 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 – 13:15
Esquire House – 13:35
Maryhill Community Halls – 13:50
Non-Members fares:
£12 for adults.
£7.50 for concessions.
To reserve seats, please e-mail or call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00 pm.
Thistle head to Cappielow Park for the first time since 2014 tomorrow afternoon as the side look to start November with three points against sixth placed Greenock Morton. Gary Caldwell sat down to speak with ptfc.co.uk shortly after finishing the final training session of the week.
“It’s been excellent. It’s been a great week’s training. We did a double session on Tuesday and the boys worked really hard. We’ve been working on competition and getting a winning mentality and incorporated a bit of competitiveness into each aspect of training to try and breed that winning mentality.
The Jags gaffer took the opportunity to watch Morton as they faced Queen of the South on Tuesday evening and knows the dangers that Jonatan Johansson’s side possess.
“I learned a lot from watching Morton on Tuesday night. They played well against Queens and changed their shape for the game in the process. It was a very worthwhile trip to go and watch the game during the week. I always feel more comfortable when I get to go and see a team live to see the full pitch and every aspect of their play. We’ve used that to help prepare the players for what they will face tomorrow.”
It’s been fine margins that have separated Thistle’s matches in recent weeks and Gary knows that the players have to be fully concentrated for the full ninety minutes at Cappielow tomorrow.
“In the key moments we have to stand up and be counted ready for those moments that decide football matches. With every training session that goes by, I think we are improving to turn those performances into points and starting climbing the table.
Finally, the manager brought us up to date with team news.
“Max Melbourne has picked up a little knock on his ankle this week. Tam Scobbie has been training all week and his fitness has been picking up so he’ll come into the squad. Apart from the long term ones we should be pretty much as we were last week. “
More exclusive preview interviews with Jamies Penrice, Jai Quitongo and Jags gaffer, Gary Caldwell, are 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 Cappielow? Jagzone members can listen to live audio commentary of the match. JagZoneLIVE begins at 2:45pm on Saturday.
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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.
Partick Thistle continued their search for a first win under the stewardship of Gary Caldwell as they travelled to Cappielow to take on Greenock Morton in the Ladbrokes Championship. The Jags came into the match off the back of five straight defeats while their hosts had picked up a 2-1 win against Queen of the South just four days ago.
There was only one personnel change made to the Thistle team that lost to Ayr last Saturday although the formation was significantly altered with Gary Caldwell opting for a 4-1-3-2 set-up with a diamond in midfield.
Cammy Bell started in goals with an unchanged backline in front of him consisting of James Penrice, Sean McGinty, Niall Keown and Christie Elliott. Brice Ntambwe acted as the defensive screen in front of the back four with Stuart Bannigan, Craig Slater and Blair Spittal as the more advanced midfield three. Up front it was a partnership of Miles Storey and Jai Quitongo, the later returning to Greenock for the first time since leaving the Ton this summer.
The travelling Jags started the game brightly and could have had the lead within the opening couple of minutes. James Penrice was fed the ball by Craig Slater on the left wing and the full-back picked out Jai Quitongo with a low delivery. The number 33 controlled at the second attempt after evading two markers and fired across goal, however, his left-footed shot bent wide of the far post.
Then, on five minutes, the away side had another opportunity, this time from a corner kick. It was Craig Slater who hit a looping cross into the danger area, finding the head of Sean McGinty. The big number six tried to direct a header low into the corner but missed the mark by a few yards.
Morton didn’t learn their lesson from that opportunity though and, in the 16th minute, Thistle took the lead from a similar situation. Once again, Slater delivered an out-swinger into the Morton box, finding Brice Ntambwe on this occasion. The Belgian midfielder rose well above Gregor Buchanan and bulleted a header home, netting his first goal in Jags colours.
Unfortunately for the Maryhill men, their lead didn’t last long with Gary Oliver pulling the home side level seven minutes later. The equaliser came down Morton’s left hand side with Jack Iredale at the centre of the play as he shifted away from Craig Slater and whipped in a cross. The ball found Gary Oliver who had peeled away from his marker and was able to slam home from a few yards out.
On 39 minutes, the hosts came close to a second of the game as Charlie Telfer was denied by Cammy Bell. It came from a ball that was allowed to drop in the Jags 18-yard-area where Telfer then pinched the ball and got a low shot away. The effort was going back across Bell but the ‘keeper did well to get down to it and make the save before collecting the loose ball.
However, the Ton would take the lead ahead of the interval with Jack Iredale providing the assist once again. The hosts’ number three skipped down the left wing once again and this time delivered a lofted cross into the box. It looked like it was going to float over everybody but the heavy wind stopped the ball right above the six yard box and as it dropped, Bob McHugh was the quickest to react with the number 11 nodding home into the top corner to give his side the advantage.
As such, the teams went into half time with the score at 2-1 and the visitors would have been feeling slightly unlucky to be behind having created a few decent chances through Jai Quitongo, Sean McGinty and Miles Storey that all went begging. However, the clinical finishing of Morton saw them score two goals from just three decent chances.
At the break, Gary Caldwell made his first change of the game introducing Andrew McCarthy for Sean McGinty with the youngster slotting in at right-back while Christie Elliott moved to central defence.
The change couldn’t help Thistle re-assert dominance on the game and Morton continued their positive play from the end of the first half by adding to their lead in the 55th minute. It came from a quick turnover of possession in the middle of the park which saw the Ton enjoy a four-on-two attack. Michael Tidser had the ball on the right-hand side and he cut inside before crossing to Jack Iredale at the far post. The wing-back was able to find the back of the net despite Bell getting something to it and in the process added a goal to the two assists he got in the first half.
In the 59th minute, the Jags made another substitution with Aidan Fitzpatrick coming on for Brice Ntambwe, putting a more attacking slant on the team.
Nevertheless, Morton stayed on top and added a fourth in the 65th minute. It came from a miscued Christie Elliott clearance which fell to Bob McHugh near the half-way line. The number 11 then battled his way past Elliott before slotting home past the outrushing Cammy Bell.
Jonatan Johansson’s side wasted no time in adding a fifth as Michael Tidser got himself on the scoresheet. James Penrice’s throw-in was headed into the air by Reghan Tumilty and after a second aerial challenge, it fell to Tidser. The experienced midfielder then instantly struck the ball on the half-volley, beating Cammy Bell from 40 yards as the Thistle goalkeeper slipped on the wet surface at Cappielow.
Jack Storer replaced Jai Quitongo with 15 minutes to go but the away side couldn’t create anything and the game finished 5-1 to the hosts. The game represented another away day to forget for Thistle and a sixth straight defeat in the Championship.
The Jags now turn their focus to next week’s home meeting with Inverness Caley Thistle as they look to pick up their first victory under Gary Caldwell. Kick-off is 15:00 from the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.
PARTICK THISTLE TEAM: Bell, Elliott, Keown, McGinty (McCarthy, HT), Penrice, Ntambwe (Fitzpatrick. 59’), Bannigan, Slater, Spittal, Storey, Quitongo (Storer, 74’).
UNUSED SUBS (PTH): Sneddon, Scobbie, Wilson, Erskine.
GREENOCK MORTON TEAM: Gaston, Tumilty, Waddell, Buchanan, Kilday, Iredale, Tidser, McAlister, Telfer (McGrattan, 87’), McHugh, Oliver (R. Thomson, 80’).
UNUSED SUBS (GRM): Scully, McKeown, K. Thomson, MacLean, Tiffoney.
It was another away defeat in the league for Partick Thistle this afternoon as the Jags slumped to a 5-1 loss against Greenock Morton at Cappielow. Thistle started strongly and took the lead on 16 minutes through Brice Ntambwe’s first goal in red and yellow, however, they found themselves behind at the interval following goals from Gary Oliver and Bob McHugh. In the opening 45, the Maryhill men had a decent number of chances and would have felt a bit unlucky to be behind at the break but they could have no complaints about what happened in the second period. Jack Iredale, Bob McHugh and Michael Tidser added a goal each to the hosts lead seeing the Ton through to a resounding victory. Jags boss, Gary Caldwell spoke to ptfc.co.uk after the final whistle and began with a message for the travelling Thistle support:
“I have to apologise to every fan that made the trip today in horrible weather. They came in great numbers and in great voice but I can only apologise for the performance we produced.”
Caldwell then moved on to discuss the game and began by reflecting on the game as a whole.
“The boys started brightly and took what was a deserved lead at the time but then we let the game get away from us.
“We didn’t pass the ball well enough after the goal and didn’t show any authority which let them back into the game. We let them back into it with poor defending and that just carried over into the second half.”
The gaffer knows there’s a lot of work for him to do but he also expects more from the players who are picked to go out and play.
“I know it’s up to me to fix this and I will. I’m determined to get this club back to where it has the potential to be but every week I’m seeing certain players who I don’t think have what it takes to be part of the team I want to build.
“I went into the dressing room and said to the guys that we’ve lost three games in three weeks not because the opposition have had a better team than us but because they’ve wanted it more and that should be the most hurtful thing any player can hear.
“It’s up to me to improve that but the players who are here now need to realise that if I don’t see any change soon, then there will be personnell changes in January.”
A more in depth video interview with Gary Caldwell is available now to Jagzone subscribers and will be followed by reaction from Stuart Bannigan – log in now to see them.
Highlights will be added shortly and will be free for Jagzone subscribers.
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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.
Sat 3 November, 2018
SPFL Ladbrokes Championship 
Cappielow Park
McHugh hits the post after turning in the box. Tumility sends a cross out of play when it comes back in.
Buchanan's header from a free kick is saved by Bell
Today's attendance is 2,197
There is a delay in the game as one of the floodlight bulbs has burst and exploded onto the pitch.
Tidser fires home from long range.
Good play from Fitzpatrick to jink his way into the box and send a shot towards gtoal. Unfortunately, his shot is a couple of feet wide of goal.
McHugh finishes low past Bell from an acute angle.
McHugh holds the ball up and sends it back to Telfer who blazes over.
Fitzpatrick almost gets on the end of a through pass but Gaston emerges from his box to sweep clear.
Buchanan meets the corner at the back post nodding it across goal but Thistle clear.
Morton break down the right hand side as Tidser picks out the run of Iredale at the back post who knocks it beyond Bell.
Spittal swings over the corner. It catches the wind and hits the bar
Storey plays it wide to Bannigan who fires over a low cross which is cleared.
Elliott moves to centre back to allow McCarthy to play at right back.
Telfer with a free kick from the corner of the box loops high and over.
Spittal and Kilday challenge for the ball fairly and Thistle keep the ball. The referee halts play to allow the Morton man to get treatment with Thistle still on the attack.
Iredale's cross gets held up so much in the wind it's ridiculous. Instead of looping to the back post, it holds up allowing McHugh to head into the top corner.
Gaston's clearance gets held up in the wind and doesn't clear his 18 yard box. Quitongo gets the ball wide in the box but can't take advantage
A great one handed save from Bell denies Telfer after the wind held up the Jags defence clearances
It's a scramble in the box that is eventually cleared before the referee halts play for a Morton head knock
The delivery isn't vintage but Keown almost meets it. Morton take no chances and put it behind for another set piece
A short corner arrives at the back post with Quitongo but Gaston smothers his shot.
Slater runs through the Morton defence without a challenge, has a shot blocked and wins a corner.
Storey's cross from the right is hooked behind for a Jags corner.
Iredale whips over a cross from the left, Oliver meets it six yards out and sends it into the net giving Cammy Bell no chance.
Storey pounces on a mistake and has a sight of goal from 20 yards. He takes a touch and drills a shot but a last ditch slide from Waddell blocks the shot.
Tidser and Telfer exchange passes but the Morton number 12's shot is always wide of target.
A cross from the left is punched away by Bell. Ntambwe completes the clearance to shell it away to the half way line. It's a very wet and windy Greenock today and the conditions are playing their part!
A lofted ball forward appears simple for McGinty but a strong gust of wind knocks him to his bum. He gets a head on the back but excellent defensive covering from Keown knocks the ball out for a corner. The corner is poor and Bell claims it.
A bullet header from Brice Ntambwe flies past Gaston and into the back of the net.
A poor corner is out of play and gives Thistle a goal kick.
Oliver shoots from the edge of the box, it takes a deflection and Bell is relieved to see it hit the roof of the net.
Thistle pounce on Morton slackness. Storey plays it into Spittal but a heavy touch lets it drift through to Gaston.
Slater's corner is high and looping. McGinty meets it but his header is always drifting away from goal.
Elliott's cross looks to strike the arm of a Morton player but the referee waves play on. Storey crosses low for Spittal who wins a corner
First chance for the Jags as Quitongo controls the ball, shifts to his left and sends a shot across goal. It clears the far post by a couple of feet