SPFL Ladbrokes Championship
Sat 22 December, 2018. Kick Off: - 15:00
The Global Energy Stadium
Supporter Information:
Fixture Information:
Admission Details:
This fixture is a PAY AT THE GATE fixture.
Prices:
Adults – £20
Concessions – £10 (Student, 65+, Disabled + free carer)
Under 18s – £5
A concession is classed as a student with a valid matriculation card or persons over the age of 65.
Disabled supporters pay the concession rate with a free carer included in their ticket price.
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
This bus is now full.
Q Club – 09:20
Station Bar – 09:30
Non members welcome.
Please call 07979496154 or email for any further information. Please note this bus is now fully booked.
John Lambie Jordanhill Branch:
Pick ups:
Jordanhill Station – 10:00
Thornwood Bar – 10:05
Prices:
£15 for adults
£8 for concessions
These prices reflect the fact that at this festive season budgets are stretched and so cut-price offers are attractive. In addition the first team, especially for away games, needs all the support that Thistle fans can give.
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 – 09:00
Esquire House – 09:20
Maryhill Community Halls – 09:35
Non-Members fares:
£15 for adults.
£10 for concessions.
After discussions with the John Lambie Jordanhill Branch, and taking cognizance of the time of year and competing demands on everyone’s pocket, the North-West Branch will be matching the reductions for non-members making the trip to Dingwall on Saturday 22nd December.
To reserve seats, please e-mail or call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00 pm.
With Christmas just days away Thistle face the long trip to Dingwall this weekend as they take on Ross County in the penultimate match of 2018. Thistle boss, Gary Caldwell, caught up with ptfc.co.uk just before the team boarded the bus to travel north. He started by sharing his sympathies with Jags fans facing a lengthy trip just before Christmas.
“It’s unfortunate for our supporters that the longest trip of the year comes so close to Christmas but the fixture computer often spits out these kinds of ties. Hopefully we’ll still get a great following and I’m sure the supporters who do travel will give us great backing as they always do. From our side we’ll be doing everything in our power to give them something to cheer, both in terms of a good performance and hopefully an early Christmas present of three points.”
As things stand Ross County sit second in the Championship table and have done well since being automatically relegated at the end of last season. Despite their lofty position Caldwell is confident that his Jags side is capable of proving more than a match for any team in the league.
“We analyse every opponent on their merits. We look at strengths and weaknesses, work with the players on those and aim to give ourselves the best chance of winning the game of football. Ross County are up that end of the table on merit, they are a good football team. That being said though we know they have weaknesses and we will be out to exploit those.
“On our day we can compete with any team in this league but we lack consistency in performance and that is probably the biggest area in which we need to improve. If we can become more consistent like we have been in recent weeks then those performance will transfer into results.”
Despite occupying a spot towards the wrong end of the table Thistle come into the game on a decent run of form having lost just one in the last four matches. However, Caldwell does recognise that his side should really be sitting in a much more comfortable position in terms of points on the board.
“The boys are really looking forward to it and are buzzing to get back to playing. We come into it with only one defeat in four games which is good. Having said that, we believe we should be going up there having taken even more points from those matches so we’ll be eager to make sure we don’t let points slip again.
“We’ve looked more of a threat going forward in recent games and have created good chances from which we should have scored more than we have, but the improvement has been encouraging for sure. The conditions definitely played their part against Alloa so hopefully they won’t have as big an impact on Saturday.”
The team has been fairly consistent recently and the physio room hasn’t seen any new faces for a couple of weeks. Pleasingly for the Thistle manager there may also be a returning face fit in time to feature against County.
“The team news remains more or less the same as last week. Craig Slater has trained this week though so could come back into the squad following his time out injured. With Bannigan suspended for next week it’s great to have Craig almost back as he has been a fantastic performer all season and is a big miss when he isn’t available.”
The big news around the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill this week was that Stuart Bannigan has signed a new deal that will keep him at the Club until May 2020. Although Caldwell has only seen a relatively small amount of Bannigan in action, the news that he had signed an extended contract had clearly put a smile on his face.
“We’re absolutely delighted to have Stuart signed up until May 2020. It was very clear to me from very early on that he was a key player for this football club and that he was someone we definitely wanted to get tied down. He’s been here all of his life and he’s Thistle through and through. More than that though he has been a leader on the pitch and his performances have been excellent since coming back from a very serious and complicated knee injury.
“He will be a massive player, not only this season but next season as well. He sets the tone for the team with his energy and the way he plays so it really is great to have him here on a more long term basis.”
More exclusive preview interviews with Christie Elliott, Sean McGinty 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 the Global Energy Stadium? 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.
Partick Thistle were unable to make it three games unbeaten in the final game before Christmas 2018 as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Ross County. Despite plenty of possession, the travelling Jags struggled to create and were punished by their hosts on two vital occasions. Firstly, Dan Jefferies brought Don Cowie down in the box and conceded a penalty which Billy Mckay tucked away from 12 yards, then in the second half, Ross Stewart doubled the lead with a nice finish from just inside the box after a quick break. The defeat sees Thistle fall to ninth place with one game left of 2018. Jags boss, Gary Caldwell spoke to ptfc.co.uk after the match:
“We had total control for much of the game but it meant nothing because we didn’t create enough and when a chance did come, we didn’t take it.
“We lacked that killer instinct and couldn’t turn decent passages into clear-cut opportunities and, at the end of the day, if you don’t score you’re going to struggle to get anything from a game away to one of the league’s best sides.”
Gary felt that the match’s key moment was the penalty award on 25 minutes and he felt the referee got the decision completely wrong.
“It’s a ridiculous penalty. I didn’t think there was contact there and it felt like the referee was guessing to be honest.”
The gaffer thought that his team’s reaction to the goal was good but was disappointed with the lack of bite in the final third.
“After the opener, we bounced back well and really seized control of the game. We were holding them into their half and I was pleased with some of the football.
“However, when we got into the box, we didn’t really trouble them and that means the second goal, on the counter, sort of takes the game away from us.”
Overall Gary was happy to see his side going toe-to-toe with County and is looking forward to making some changes to his squad in January.
“I think it shows a bit of progress that we can come away to the second best team in the league and give them a decent game.
“There’s obviously plenty of work to do but we know what we need and will be addressing it during the transfer window.”
A more in depth video interview with Gary Caldwell is available now to Jagzone subscribers and will be followed by reaction from James Penrice and Craig Slater – 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 © 2018. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Sat 22 December, 2018
SPFL Ladbrokes Championship 
The Global Energy Stadium
Spittal with a free kick which evades everyone and Fox can claim.
Thistle attack down the right and Elliott whips over a low cross which Fox grabs from the toes of Storey.
County break up the park through Mullin and Stewart curls home from the edge of the box.
Doolan tries an effort from the edge of the box but it is over the bar.
County break but Mckays pass to Mullin is poor and Thistle clear.
Elliott's shot is deflected and goes behind for a corner before Fox can secure it,
From a free kick at the edge of the box, the wall kinda does its job as it deflects an effort onto the bar and out for a corner
Storey is picked out in the box but under pressure can only send his shot wide of target.
Thistle keep the ball for well over a minute before Bannigan shoots from 25 yards and it skids wide. A good start to the second half by Gary Caldwell's side.
Today's attendance is 3,467
Spittal cuts the ball back into the box beyond Fox but Draper is clever and wins a free kick.
Sneddon is quick out to clear up a loose through ball ahead of the County attack.
It's a deep corner. It's saved by Scobbie at the far side of the pitch. His cross is met by Storey who loops a header high. It falls to McGinty, who scuffs his connection and County clear.
McGinty advances from deep and keeps going and going until he is six yards out. He chips a cross which Doolan heads goalbound and somehow Fox keeps it out.
A free kick from deep falls to Stewart at the edge of the box but he slices his shot wide of target.
Doolan meets the corner with a header but it is cleared from the goal. That will be that for the first half.
Fitzpatrick drills a shot from an impossible angle and it is bundled behind for a corner but looked to be sneaking in
Mckay has the ball in the net but the flag is up for offside.
Elliott's cross is guided goalwards by Doolan but it is knocked behind for a corner.
Bannigan's free kick from wide is cleared. Penrice hooks it back to the edge of the box before Fitzpatrick drives a low shot that beats Fox but also beats the post by a matter of inches.
Mckay with a fierce low shot from Stewart's knockdown but it is blocked by Scobbie. Thistle break and Fitzpatrick carries the ball before being outmuscled
Thistle are well in this game here in Dingwall.
Storey robs the ball from Grivosti and FItzpatrick drives. He picks out Penrice with a pin point pass. The Jags number three has a shot blocked which looks to come back to Fitzpatrick but his effort is blocked by a defender. Thistle keep the pressure on.
Elliott's low cross reaches Storey in the six yard box. He shoots on the turn but a sliding block denies him .
Sneddon guesses correctly but can't stop Mckay's effort from finding the corner of the net.
Jefferies tackles Cowie, and looks to get a touch on the ball, but the referee Colin Steven points to the spot.
Lindsay advances from deep and shoots at the edge of the box. Mckay gets a touch on it, not sure if it was deliberate or not, and it flicks it inches past the post.
Jefferies finds himself all alone at the back post where the corner is delivered but he can't connect properly and the ball goes wide.
Doolan nods a head from Grivosti away from the goal but County keep the pressure on. Thistle stay strong and nod it to safety.
From the throw the ball bounces about the box which is knocked for a corner by Jefferies.
Ross County have a free kick 25 yards from goal which Mullin batters into the wall. Jefferies clears for a throw.
Good play from Doolan gets the ball into the Fitzpatrick's path. The youngster inventively tries to backheel it to a teammate in a congested area before County partially clear. Thistle keep the ball before Spittal's cross floats behind.
Good play from Thistle gets Storey played on the right hand side but a poor cross goes behind for a goal kick.
Penrice, celebrating his 20th birthday today, fires over a cross as Thistle have a period of pressure on the County last third.
County start on the front foot but Sneddon claims the first ball into the box. Doolan playing slightly deeper today behind Fitzpatrick and Storey who will look to lead the line in a 3-4-1-2 formation