Aberdeen v Partick Thistle – 4th November 2013

For the second time this season Thistle ended up on the wrong end of a heavy defeat at the hands of Aberdeen whose impressive display allowed them to climb to second place in the league.
Thistle went into this match without the services of Conrad Balatoni who had picked up an ankle injury and the only change to the side that had started against Celtic saw Gabriel Piccolo drafted in his place.
It was the home side that were first to threaten a goal with a Zola header in the 5th minute clearing the Thistle crossbar.
Thistle though were looking relatively comfortable without posing much of an attacking threat although there were some appeals for a Thistle when Kallum Higginbotham went to ground inside the Aberdeen penalty box.
Just called up into the full Scotland squad Scott Fox demonstrated just why he had been selected with a stunning save from Zola in the 17th minute to maintain the 0-0 score line. He had to admit defeat, however, in the 25th minute. Aberdeen were awarded a somewhat soft free kick no more than 6 yards outside the Thistle box and Niall McGinn’s well-placed free kick evaded the Thistle defensive wall and found a berth in the bottom corner of the net.
Having fallen a goal behind it was important that Thistle didn’t concede a second goal prior to half-time but with the interval just 6 minutes away that’s precisely what they did. Aberdeen opened Thistle up down the right flank with alarming ease and when the ball was squared into the box Calvin Zola was left with the easy task of sliding the ball home from close range.
Although two goals behind by half-time Thistle were not yet out of this game though the need for an early second half goal was obvious. They was certainly a clear increase in urgency from Thistle and the started the second half the better side but they rarely looked like finding a way back into the match. Sean Welsh shot tamely wide of goal in the 47th minute and 6 minute later a Kris Doolan shot spun off an Aberdeen defender for an unproductive corner kick.
James Craigen too sent an effort wide of goal and although Taylor-Sinclair managed to get a free kick on target his effort was straight at Jamie Langfield leaving the Aberdeen keeper to complete a comfortable save.
With Thistle having been unable to make any inroads into the Aberdeen lead the game was effectively over as a contest when the home side score a third goal in the 64th minute.  Michael Hector was given a little too much room outside the Thistle box and he took full advantage of the space given to him when he gave Scott Fox no chance at all with a shot that was destined for the back of the net from the second it left his foot.
Thistle nearly pulled a goal back in spectacular fashion immediately upon the restart of the game but Kallum Higginbotham’s effort from the halfway line struck the bar.
Higginbotham was central to most of Thistle attacks and he saw a dangerous cross scrambled clear by the Aberdeen defence before Langfield did well to turn his deflected shot round the post for a corner.
An attempted chip from McGinn in the 74th minute dropped just over Scott Fox’s crossbar as Aberdeen attempted to heap further misery upon Thistle while at the other end Aaron Muirhead saw a shot saved and Gabriel Piccolo nodded a Ross Forbes free kick over the bar.
Aberdeen though were hungry for further goals and it took an excellent clearance from Taylor-Sinclair to prevent them adding a 4th goal before Willo Flood sent an effort from distance wide of Scott Fox’s left hand post.
The home side, however, would claim a 4th goal with 4 minutes; Niall McGinn converting with a cross from the right to notch his second goal of what was a bitterly disappointing night for Thistle.