Saturday 17th October, 2015 at 3:05pm
It was a delighted Alan Archibald who spoke to ptfc.co.uk shortly after the full time whistle after Thistle emerged from McDiarmid Park with a richly deserved three points.
“I’m delighted with today’s result. We’ve missed a lot of chances earlier in the season, but we’ve worked hard, kept going, and now we’re seeing our luck change.
“I thought it was a great performance. We looked really dangerous on the break throughout the game and we could haveadded more goals to the result. In the second half we struggled a little with holding the ball up and as a consequence St Johnstone got the ball further up the pitch and they kept coming at us.
”It took a stern defensive performance to repel wave after wave of St Johnstone attack but the side held out strong.
“The defence worked ever so hard and were throwing their bodies in the way of everything. Liam Lindsay looked like an extremely experienced defender today and it is hard to believe he only turned 20 last week. We know the qualities of Dan and he led the side through the difficult spell of having ball after ball launched into the box.”
Victory pulls Thistle closer to the teams in front of them but Alan was keen to play down the importance of the win.
“Listen, it’s only one game. We’ve now won two on the bounce and it is good to get a run like that together. We are now focussed on Hamilton Accies, knowing that we will have to change it up with Abdul Osman being suspended. We aren’t looking any further than that but we know we face a tough battle.
”It was two spectacular goals which secured the three points for Thistle and Alan was pleased to see his side score their first goals from outside the box this season.
“I didn’t know that and it is always good to see spectacular goals, but being honest I don’t mind how they go in. The players have retained the confidence to shoot from distance and when in the past it may have collided with the woodwork, now they are flying into the net.
“I think Gary Millar thought he had won goal of the season for awhile there, but Stevie Lawless has dragged on in as well and they will have a battle between each other which is good for the camp. I’m glad they had the confidence and the belief to try their luck from distance and thankfully it has led us to the win. We were aware of the record[almost 22 years without a win at McDiarmid Park] but we broke a similar one at Tannadice last season so it shows the mental toughness in the group.
Alan finished with a word of thanks for the 515 Thistle fans who went to Perth to back the side.
“The fans were exceptional today. I know it’s a cliché but they really were the 12th man. They never wavered in their support of the team and they roared the side on when the side wereunder pressure and helped give them encouragement. I know that the journey home from Perth hasn’t always been pleasant in the past but I hope it feels a lot better for all the Thistle fans tonight”
