SPFL Ladbrokes Championship
Sat 6 October, 2018. Kick Off: - 15:00
The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill
Fixture Information:
Admission Details:
This fixture is a GENERAL ADMISSION fixture
HOME ticket prices:
Spectators looking to use the Jackie Husband stand will require to purchase a ticket from the portable ticket office next to the Jackie Husband reception.
Cash gates in operation for the John Lambie and Colin Weir Stands.
Prices:
Adults – £20
Concessions – £15
Under 16s – FREE
A concession is qualified as a person between 17 and 18, over 65 or a student with a valid matriculation card.
AWAY ticket prices:
Ross County supporters will be located in the North end of the Jackie Husband Stand.
Prices:
Adults – £20
Concessions – £15
Under 16s – £5
It’s back to home action for Thistle this weekend and with nine points from nine at the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill this season the Jags side will be looking to keep that form going. Off the back of a disappointing night in Dunfermline last week the Thistle gaffer, Alan Archibald, spoke exclusively to ptfc.co.uk to explain his game plan for this weekend.
“The boys are good lads here and they want to get back, work hard and put things right. It made for a long weekend last week.
“County have got a good squad and excellent depth, probably the best I’ve seen in the league. They’re off the back of a good performance and will come in very confident mood. We know what to expect though and had plenty of experience against them last season. We just need to use that to our advantage on Saturday.
“They have a good mix of Premiership experience and new talent. They were able to hold on to a number of their good players and they are a very physical unit. They are mobile across the pitch and have good energy and legs through the front areas so they are undoubtedly a threat.”
The last time Thistle were in action in Maryhill it produced an open and exciting contest against Queen of the South. Some of the play the Jags put together that day was flowing football at its best and that is something the manager is keen to replicate.
“Last time out here we had a lot of really good play and scored some very good goals. We need to make sure we get back to that. We never played enough football on Friday and that was the most disappointing thing. We know we are capable of it but we need to be more consistent.
“On Friday night, apart from the goal and the 10 minute spell that followed, there was nothing in the game. In terms of the shape and organisation and the way we’re playing overall we are quite happy but we need to cut out the individual errors.”
The good news of the week was that Souleymane Coulibaly finally received clearance to play from FIFA and the Scottish FA.
“We’re delighted first and foremost for Souleymane because it is great news for him and he now has something to aim toward in terms of getting into our squad. It has been a frustrating time for him but he has stayed positive throughout and he is certainly an infectious personality.
“The focus now is getting him up to match fitness. When you look at the detail he wasn’t even allowed to play in a reserve game so he hasn’t actually played a match for quite some time now. We need to be careful with bringing him back and we don’t want to put too much pressure on him. As I say he’s not played for a long time now so we need to monitor him carefully to avoid injury as he builds up to his return. However, if we can get the performances out of him that he produced at Kilmarnock then he’ll be a great asset to the squad.”
Finally, the gaffer went through his team news and gave the low down on who would be available to play this weekend.
“Tam Scobbie has a slight knock and Chris Erskine comes more into the picture as well. He only trained once ahead of the game last week which is why he wasn’t involved as much as we might have liked against Dunfermline. Other than that we have a full squad to pick from. We have more or less everyone fit now and it is a major contrast to the start of the season when we only had three subs. We’ve had to leave players in the stands the last couple of weeks but that’s football and those players have to work hard to get back into the squad.”
More exclusive preview interviews with Blair Spittal, Kris Doolan and Jags gaffer, Alan Archibald, 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 The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill? 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 © 2018. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Sat 6 October, 2018
SPFL Ladbrokes Championship 
The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill
It's a disappointing afternoon for Thistle as they go down to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Ross County.
Penrice and McGinty both have shots that are blocked.
Draper is late in on Bannigan and collects a second yellow. That can't have been far away from being red on its own.
Quitongo stretches to reach a cross from the right but his header srops harmlessly wide of goal.
Cowie sets up Graham for a chance and his shot is blocked by a defender.
Spittal takes the free kick. He gets the ball over the wall but also high over the bar.
Thistle have a free kick about 5 yards outside the County box and just right of centre.
Fitzpatrick isn't far away from connecting with a Spittal cross from the right hand side.
Quitongo wriggles past the attention of a couple of defenders but there is no power in his final shot which allows Fox to make a comfortable save at his near post.
Penrice switches off for a second allowing Mckay a clear look at goal but Sneddon saves.
it's all a little too comfortable for Ross County at the moment.
Storey gets into a good position on the left but gets his cross all wrong and it is a County goal kick.
Keown's header from a Slater cross goes high and wide of the County goal.
Spittal tries to curl a shot into the top corner but the ball swerves away from goal.
Thistle are close to pulling one back as Fox pushes away a fierce Erskine shot.
Mckay confidently converts the penalty leaving Thistle with a mountain to climb.
The ball strikes the hand of Elliott and County have a penalty.
Keown stoops low to head away a dangerous Lindsay cross.
Thistle make a change early in the second half.
Fox struggles to push away a McGinty effort from distance.
Josh Mullin's goal after 13 minutes separates the teams at half-time.
It's been an even game with County having the better chances and Thistle the better of the possession.
Spittal's cross is gathered by Fox at his near post.
Doolan is unable to get on the end of Elliott's low ball into the box.
Slater takes the corner and it is headed clear.
Slater has room on the right but all his cross produces is a corner.
The free kick is a fraction away from sneaking in at Sneddon's far post.
County have a free kick on the very edge of the Thistle box. Just for a second it looked as if it might have been just inside the box.
Fox is smartly off his line to claim a low cross from Penrice ahead of a lurking Doolan.
Bannigan takes the corner and aims it deep for McGinty but County clear.
Bannigan takes the free kick which is headed behind for a corner.
Thistle have a free kick on the right after Draper's foul on Spittal.
Spittal's cross finds Doolan in good position inside the box but on this occasion Doolan's touch lets him down.
Doolan's effort is tipped over the bar by Fox.
Erskine's shot is deflected wide.
Bannigan is robbed of ythe ball by Lindsay but a well timed challenge by McGinty retrieves the situation.
County don't have too long to wait until they do score. Mullin enjoys ythe break of the ball before shooting past Sneddon.
County are close to taking the lead. Vigurs threads a pass through to Mckay whose effort is saved by Sneddon. The loose ball falls to a County player and it takes a clearance off the line from Penrice to keep the score at 0-0. Even them the pressure is still on and it needs a block from Keown to finally remove the threat from the Thistle goal.
This time it is Erskine that looks to be fouled but again Walsh elects not to give Thistle a free kick.
Doolan looks to be fouled as he takes control of the ball but referee Walsh doesn't give the free kick.
Sneddon is clattered as he comes to collect a County free kick and Thistle have a free kick.
Elliott plays in a great cross to the near post but County are able to defend it.
Keilor-Dunn and Mckay try to link up but the ball goes behind for a Thistle goal kick.
Thistle are unable to make anything of their first attacking play of the game.
Keillor-Dunn's cross is crisply headed clear by McGinty.
Second placed Ross County are the visitors to The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill this afternoon although given the tight nature of the league a Jags win today would take us to within just two points of County.
Alan Archibald's starting eleven shows two changes from the side that started against Dunfermline eight days ago. Jamie Sneddon starts in goal ahead of Cammy Bell while Chris Erskine returns with Tam Scobbie missing out due to injury.
As the Club celebrates five years of The Thistle Weir Academy the Thistle starting eleven includes two players, Stuart Bannigan and James Penrice, who have progressed through the youth ranks at Firhill.
A further two, Andrew McCarthy and Aidan Fitzpatrick occupy positions on the substitute bench.