Sat 16 August, 2014
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
Dens ParkCraig Wighton (54)
Gary Fraser (4)
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Sat 16 August, 2014. Kick Off: - 15:00
Dens Park
After a great start at home Alan Archibald sat down with ptfc.co.uk to look forward to, the fast approaching, match against Dundee on Saturday:
“It was a great performance last night – a wonderful way to get the season started. Great performances all over the field and something really positive to build on. It’s good to get the home win monkey off our backs early too.”
On Dundee, Archie knows he can’t afford to underestimate them and is certain it will be a tough contest on Saturday.
“It’ll be a hard game on Saturday. Dundee play with a lot of confidence and are always looking to get the ball down on the deck and play it – it should be a really decent game. I saw them play last week and was very impressed with them and with the acquisitions they’ve made. Paul has managed to bring in some great experience but some real quality too so it should be a good tight match.”
Thistle haven’t made the trip to Dens Park for three seasons now but the Thistle gaffer knows from experience that it is never an easy place to go.
“Dens is a tough place to go but the pitch looked great and it should be a cracking match. It’s a good few years since we last played at Dundee but Paul has done very very well with them. I went through my A-licence with him so I know what he’s capable of. He’s single minded and knows what he is looking for – I think you see that by the way he has his team playing. He’s built a good squad and he’s still looking to add so it will be a tough game against a well organised team.”
Each of Thistle’s new signing played well against County and Alan is happy with what he has brought in so far.
“We’ve added a bit of steel to our team – I think we showed that last night – and hopefullly we can take the positives from last night into the first away game of the season. Our away form was good last term and we’ll be looking to keep that going this time around.”
Thistle travelled north to Dundee in a confident mood after a resounding midweek victory over Ross County. Their opponents for their first Saturday game of the season would be newly promoted Championship winners, Dundee, who themselves were unbeaten after two draws. Unsurprisingly manager Alan Archibald named an unchanged team.
Thistle made a fast start and, after just two minutes, should have been ahead. A brilliant cross ball from O’Donnell found the unmarked Bannigan six yards out but he somehow glanced his header just wide of the target.
Thistle didn’t have to wait long for the opener though as, just a minute later, the visitors went ahead. Higginbotham collected the ball wide on the left before cutting inside and playing a pass, his pass found Lawless who laid the ball into the path of Fraser and he rifled a shot from 25 yards into the back of the net, past a helpless Letheren in the home side’s goal.
Thistle continued to press the home team and, after a patient build up, O’Donnell tried a cheeky near post shot from wide which the keeper did well to get down and save. Fraser, Stevenson and Bannigan all saw shots saved by Letheren as Thistle looked for a second goal. Unfortunately it didn’t come and Dundee began to find their feet in the game. McDonald curled a free kick just wide in the 11th minute, although it looked like Fox had it covered.
The Jags were forced into a change when McMillan limped off and young Dale Keenan came on for his league debut after just 15 minutes. Another cross ball from O’Donnell caused more mayhem in the Dundee box and, as McGinn switched off, Bannigan nipped in and only a good save by the home keeper prevented him from scoring.
Fox then made an important save at the edge of his six yard box from a Dundee free kick out wide. McDonald then fired wildly over as the game became a little untidy and scrappy before Harkins let fly with a free kick which was easily saved by Fox. McGowan then produced a little bit of magic out wide and fired a great ball across the Thistle six yard box only to find nobody waiting to apply the killer touch as the Jags went into the interval 1-0 ahead.
Dundee brought on 17 year old Craig Wighton at half time for Tankulic, who had proved largely ineffective. It would end up being a good substitution for the home side. Harkins went close early on with a piece of quick thinking, he took a quick free kick wide and his effort looped onto the bar and over. Higginbotham then flashed a brilliant half volley inches wide from 30 yards with the keeper beaten.
It took until the 54th minute but Dundee did eventually equalise. Thistle failed to clear properly and McAlister picked up the ball, played a couple of passes before releasing Wighton who slotted past Fox, a poor goal from a Jags perspective with nobody putting in a tackle. Balatoni was then booked for tugging back McDonald as he looked to go clear and add to Dundee’s tally.
All this was just the build up to the main incident of the game though. Harkins floated a free kick into the Thistle box before McPake hit the ground under pressure from new signing Dan Seaborne. Referee, Charleston, didn’t hesitate to point to the spot and Seabourne was booked for his part in the incident – however the award of the penalty did surprise the visiting team. However, the real damage was done as Scott Fox went to protest the penalty and ended up in an altercation with McGowan. The referee saw the coming together as violent conduct and sent Fox for an early shower.
When the dust finally settled Gallacher came on and Lawless made way for him. The birthday boy’s first touch of the ball was to save Harkins penalty brilliantly with his legs before Thistle cleared the ball out of danger.
With Thistle down to ten men, Dundee pressed forward but things didn’t go all the home team’s way. Fraser saw a shot drift wide and then Gallacher produced a magnificent one handed save from McDonald’s header at the back post from a lovely Harkins cross. Although Thistle were not keeping possession particularly well they were able to limit the home side’s chances through resolute defending.
Substitute Elliott caused a mild panic for the home team in injury time with a good run and cross but t here were no Thistle players close enough to get on the end of it and the game finished a 1-1 draw.
Thistle’s return to Dens Park for the first time since season 2011/12 which ultimately ended in a draw but was a game which many Thistle fans came away from slightly disappointed not to have got the win. These were sentiments echoed by Thistle manager, Alan Archibald, when he spoke to ptfc.co.uk after the game.
“We moved the ball really well and created a number of chances, unfortunately we just weren’t able to take them. They got the goal and then the game has been ruined with the red card. We played some good stuff for the first 45 but it’s always going to be a struggle when you’re playing half an hour with 10 men.
“I felt justice was done with the penalty save – it was a great save from Paul and it’s a really good to have a keeper of his calibre to come off the bench in situations like that. It wasn’t just the penalty, he had a great save from the header too, really instinctive. He obviously came on last year and got into the team as well, he’s a great asset to have.”
Thistle may have been travelling back to Glasgow with no points had it not been for another wonder strike by Gary Fraser after just four minutes,
“It was a great strike from Gary and he’s continuing the streak of form he’s on. I think we moved the ball around really well in the first half and, at times, Dundee really struggled to cope with us. I think we should have been one up after two minutes with Banzo’s header at the back post but that strike from Gary made up for it.”
There was another blow to Thistle in the first half as Jordan McMillan was carried off at half time with a hamstring problem.
“I think he’s done his hamstring, how serious it is we’ll have to wait and see. That didn’t help things as the match wore on and a lot of the boys were running on empty by the end of the game. The positives were definitely the work ethic of the team – all the boys worked ever so hard and perhaps that’s a game we would have lost last season.
“We were very resolute and, at the end of the day, it’s a point up at Dens Park – never an easy place to go. It’s probably a result we would have taken before the game to be fair but given our first half performance it is a bit disappointing not to be coming away with all three.”
