SPFL Ladbrokes Championship
Sat 17 November, 2018. Kick Off: - 15:00
Falkirk Stadium
Fixture Information:
Admission Details:
This fixture is a PAY AT THE GATE fixture.
Prices:
Adults – £20
Concessions – £13
Under 18s – £7
Under 12s – FREE
A concession is classed as a person aged 65 and older, an unemployed person or a student with a valid matriculation card.
A maximum of four under 12s can accompany a paying adult.
Ambulant disabled supporters pay the concession rate with a free carer included in their ticket price.
Wheelchair disabled supporters and their carer are free of charge.
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
This bus is now full.
Q Club – 11:20
Station Bar – 11:30
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 – 13:15
Thornwood Bar – 13:20
Prices:
£12 for adults
£8 for concessions
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 – 13:15
Esquire House – 13:35
Maryhill Community Halls – 13:50
Non-Members fares:
£12 for adults.
£7.50 for concessions.
To reserve seats, please e-mail or call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00 pm.
The preparations are almost complete ahead of another important Ladbrokes Championship fixture tomorrow afternoon against Falkirk. After the squad’s final training session of the week manager Gary Caldwell spoke to ptfc.co.uk.
After a positive performance against Inverness Caledonian Thistle last weekend, the Jags gaffer knows his side must start turning performances into points.
“We’ve progressed in terms of performance over the course of the last month but we have to turn that into points. We’ve been working extremely hard this week ahead of the game against Falkirk and I want my players to show their character on the pitch.
“We know that we have to turn these performances into points and there is no better time to start that than on Saturday”
Thistle showed a lot of attacking intent during last weekend’s game and Gary was pleased to see his side play with hunger
“I want us to be on the front foot during the game. We did that really well last week in the first half and it was just the final piece that was letting us down last Saturday. We need to show a little bit more composure in and around the box.
“The players put a lot of energy into last weekend’s game so we gave them Monday off and we’ve built the intensity and tempo of training up gradually over the course of the four days leading up to the match. We’ve also been working on fitness and getting the players to be the fittest I’ve seen them since I’ve come to the Club.”
There has been a change to the backroom staff around the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill with sports scientist Junior Mendes moving on to St Mirren. Carlos Valenzuela will step up to become the Club’s lead sports scientist
“Junior has moved on to St Mirren and he goes with our best wishes. I knew him from playing against him but I hadn’t worked with him until I arrived at the Club. He was very professional and great at what he did but he wanted to move on. We’ve got Carlos Valenzuela ready to step in and he’s been excellent. He’s changed a couple of things to freshen it up and the players have reacted to that really well.
Finally, we caught up with team news ahead of tomorrow’s match.
“We’ve cleared up a lot of our short term injuries so we have a fully fit squad to head to Falkirk. Aidan Fitzpatrick and Andrew McCarthy both picked up little knocks during Monday’s reserve match against Hearts but they’ve come back into training later in the week. The only player who will definitely miss out is Max Melbourne who is suspended after his red card on Monday afternoon.”
More exclusive preview interviews with Kris Doolan, Blair Spittal 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 Falkirk 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 continued the search for their first away league points of the season as they travelled to the Falkirk Stadium to take on the Championship’s bottom side, Falkirk. The Jags were coming off the back of a narrow loss to Inverness in Maryhill a week prior while the Bairns were still flying high after a big win over rivals, Dunfermline.
Gary Caldwell made just one change to the side that lost to the Caley Jags last time out and it was an enforced one after Cammy Bell picked up a warm-up injury. He was replaced in goals by Jamie Sneddon, making his fifth senior appearance for the Jags. The manager had an unchanged outfield unit ahead of him with Christie Elliott, Niall Keown, Sean McGinty and James Penrice acting as the back four. Miles Storey, Craig Slater, Stuart Bannigan and Blair Spittal formed a flat four across the midfield behind Jai Quitongo and Kris Doolan up front.
The match started very quietly with Falkirk deploying a very defensive 5-4-1 formation which neutralised almost all of Thistle’s attacking prowess. On the flip side though the Bairns’ one up-front formation failed to create any chances at all for the hosts in the opening exchanges.
Supporters had to wait until the 24th minute to see the first shot on target as Blair Spittal found a bit of space just outside the Falkirk box. Firing a shot on goal with his right foot the Jags number 7 saw his effort hit the target and little more with Leo Fasan stopping and holding the effort comfortably.
During a first half with little goalmouth action the home side’s first notable opportunity of the game fell in the 35th minute. Paul Paton kept a long ball alive and found Dennon Lewis with his pass. The stand-in striker then got the ball to Ruben Sammut who attempted a tough half-volley which was lashed well over the bar. James Penrice followed suit as he saw a speculative right-footed shot fly over the bar before the break but the teams entered half-time on level terms, nevertheless.
At the interval, the Jags would have been disappointed not to have created more clear cut chances despite having dominated possession with some nice passing football. On the other hand a defensively focused Falkirk team would have been content with a clean sheet at the half-way point.
After the break the away side began the second period brightly and were rewarded for their efforts in the 57th minute as the Jags took a much deserved lead. Stuart Bannigan played a quick pass over to Craig Slater and from there on in, it was all about the number 17. Slater shifted inside and created a yard of space before unleashing a low shot which beat Leo Fasan, catching the ‘keeper off-guard at the near post. The strike gave Thistle only their second away lead of the league campaign and also represented Slater’s first goal for the Club.
Unfortunately for the Maryhill men, the lead lasted no more than two minutes as Joe McKee bundled home an equaliser on 59 minutes. It came from a high ball that wasn’t dealt with, allowing Paul Paton to knock a header into the box. A number of bodies rushed to the loose ball but McKee was first to it, knocking the ball over Sneddon into the net, despite the best efforts of the covering James Penrice.
Perhaps the best chance to win the game came shortly after the equaliser via a Blair Spittal free kick, following a foul on Quitongo at the edge of the box. Spittal’s free kick was well hit and on target but ultimately Fasan was equal to it and tipped it over for a Thistle corner.
Following the goal the Jags made their first change of the afternoon as Miles Storey was replaced by Tam Scobbie with the team changing to a three-at-the-back formation. A second change was made in the 71st minute with Chris Erskine coming on in place of Jai Quitongo whose running and endeavour had been clear to see if somewhat unproductive in terms of chances created.
With the scores still level Blair Spittal again went close to re-establishing Thistle’s lead with 13 minutes to play. Kris Doolan and Chris Erskine tried to create some space at the edge of Falkirk box but as Erskine was bundled over, the ball came to Blair Spittal. The number seven tried to squeeze a shot into the back of the net from a tight angle but his effort was deflected behind for a corner.
After that, despite plenty of effort, Thistle were unable to break down a dogged Falkirk rear-guard and the game ended 1-1. The result kept the places the same at the bottom of the table with Falkirk remaining at the foot.
The Jags now turn their attentions to a trip to Dumfries in two weeks time after a Scottish Cup Saturday off next week. Kick-off is 15:00 from Palmerston Park.
PARTICK THISTLE TEAM: Sneddon, Elliott, Keown, McGinty, Penrice, Bannigan, Slater, Storey (Scobbie, 63’), Spittal, Quitongo (Erskine, 71’), Doolan.
UNUSED SUBS (PTH): Stevenson, Ntambwe, McCarthy, Storer, Fitzpatrick.
FALKIRK TEAM: Fasan, Kidd, Brough, Harrison, McGhee, Robson, Paton, Sammut (Haber, 59’), McKee, Irving, Lewis (Dallison, 71’).
UNUSED SUBS (FLK): Mitchell, Dumbuya, Russell, Munro, Jarvis.
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 ended a run of seven straight defeats this afternoon as they drew 1-1 with Falkirk at the New Falkirk Stadium. The Jags dominated large parts of the game against a tepid and defensive Bairns side and were able to make the breakthrough via a Craig Slater strike on 57 minutes. It was the Thistle number 17’s first goal in red and yellow but it wasn’t enough to win all three points as the Jags were pegged back just two minutes later Joe McKee netting for the hosts.
The game ultimately finished on level terms and, although the away side might have been disappointed with the draw, it did represent their first point on the road this Championship campaign. It also showed a continued improvement in performance as the visitors looked defensively solid and certainly asked the more difficult questions going forward.
Thistle boss, Gary Caldwell, spoke to ptfc.co.uk shortly after the full time whistle. The gaffer began by reflecting on his side’s first away point of the season and the first point of his managerial reign.
“I thought they did very well to come away from home in a big pressure game and control the way they did. There was a good understanding of how we wanted to play and we showed real bravery in possession throughout .
“We were disappointed not to come away with more than just the one point but we have to focus on the performance. The three points will come and this is a start that we have to build on.”
Caldwell was keen to focus on the progress his team continues to make as the management team get ever closer to that elusive first win.
“We know where we are as a team and we need to improve week by week. There’s not going to be a week where it just all clicks; it’ll be bit-by-bit. The effort today was great once again and, at the end of the day, getting a point on the board is a positive step although it’s up to us to continue building as we go forward.
“We can take a lot from this game and it continues the pattern of progression in terms of performance that I think you have seen over the last few games. We only got the one point and I believe we deserved more but I have said to the players that that kind of performance has to give them belief. When we look back over the footage from the match and see all the positive play and good passing movement it should give the players more reason to believe in themselves and get better. If we can do that then we will turn those performances into wins, and not just one win, it can be win after win and we can put a run together.
“The way we built the play today I thought was excellent – the diagonal balls and switches of play. Admittedly I thought we could have been better in terms of how we played from there, we need to get the ball into the strikers more and force the defenders to defend, but they are small things that we can work on and they will come.”
Thistle defended well but weren’t often on the back foot. With the Jags being the team playing away from home this was one aspect of the contest that was particularly pleasing for Caldwell.
“As the away team you would expect to be a little under the cosh and have to defend but that wasn’t how it looked today. We didn’t have much to do at all defensively in the first half and defended well when needed in the second.
“As an overall performance we were really pleased. Credit to the players as well, when you have been through what we have been through this season but still show the bravery to get on the ball in difficult areas it really is first class and it gives us something to build on.”
Finally the gaffer gave an update on Cammy Bell who was unable to start the game after going down with an injury during the warmup.
“It doesn’t look great to be honest. He went to dive during the warmup and he felt something go in his calf or Achilles area, he was in a bit of pain. We’ll get him assessed over the next few days and take a view from there – hopefully it is not too serious.
“For Jamie Sneddon to come in with so little notice and show the composure he did was really good to see. He has trained really well since I first came into the Club and he’s been ready for that opportunity so it was great to see him grasp it with both hands today.”
A more in depth video interview with Gary Caldwell is available now to Jagzone subscribers and will be followed by reaction from Chris Erskine and Jamie Sneddon – 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 17 November, 2018
SPFL Ladbrokes Championship 
Falkirk Stadium
Stuart Bannigan is this afternoon's JagZoneLIVE. presented by Pursuit Marketing, man of the match.
A poor corner is out for a Jags goal kick
Dallison's header is deflected behind for a corner
Slater and Doolan link up before a low shot is blocked by a Falkirk defender.
Elliott whips over a great cross. Spittal throws himself at it but can't connect from inside the six yard box.
Elliott across quickly to block off Dallison going to goal. Sneddon with the ball.
McGinty pushes forward and delivers a cross. Doolan's header is into the hands of Fasan
Erskine is bundled to the ground in the box but play rages on and Spittal wins a corner
Spittal boots clear from the corner and excellent pressing from Erskine wins a Thistle throw 20 yards from the Falkirk goal
Scobbie's cross is met by Doolan at the back post but he can't get any direction on it,
Spittal advances down the right beating a couple of men before running out of space.
Spittal's free kick is tipped over for a corner
Quitongo is fouled about 25 yards out in a central position
A deep cross is nodded out by Kidd with Doolan lurking
Thistle switch to 3-5-2
After a Slater free kick, McGinty whips over a cross which isn't too far away from creeping in.
Irving's curling cross is into the arms of Sneddon
McKee pokes the ball beyond Sneddon and despite the best efforts of James Penrice the ball crosses the line.
Slater cuts inside and fires the ball low below Fasan from inside the box!
Thistle lead!
Spittal has a shot blocked after the corner makes its way to him. Thistle keep the pressure on.
Spittal gets in behind the Falkirk defence and fizzes a low cross. It moves away from Doolan before Elliott wins a corner
Doolan has a shot blocked before Storey plays it wide to Slater. His cross is blocked for a throw.
Quitongo gets in behind the Falkirk defence but takes a heavy touch under pressure and Falkirk have a goal kick
A short free kick is played to Robson. He advances forward and strikes an effort that is well held by Sneddon
Doolan sprays it wide to Penrice. He gallops inside to his right foot but his shot is high and wide from 20 yards.
Penrice with a deep cross which can't quite be met by Miles Storey at the back post.
Paton keeps the ball in from a deep cross ball. He passes back to Lewis who finds Sammut. His shot is wild and into the Jags support behind the goal.
Quitongo advances down the left hand side before teeing up Spittal. His cross is into the arms of Fasan
Doolan looks to be impeded as Quitongo plays the ball through to him but the referee waves play on
Penrice whips over a cross but it is too straight at Fasan.
Spittal takes aim from 25 yards but his shot is comfortable for Fasan.
Storey with the cross which is lifted to the back post. Fasan comes and collects under pressure from Quitongo
Thistle play the ball forward with confidence. It goes wide to Storey who can't get his cross correct and it is out of play.
Temperatures rising here as Quitongo chases a through ball. Fasan advances out his box to clear before taking a tumble and having a shout at Quitongo. Referee, Thompson awards a Jags throw in.
Play is halted after a head clash between Keown and Lewis. Both are fit to continue.
A quiet opening here in Falkirk as both sides look to settle into the game