SPFL Ladbrokes Championship
Sat 30 March, 2019. Kick Off: - 15:00
Cappielow Park
Admission details:
Thistle supporters will be accommodated in the covered west section of the terracing (standing only). There is also limited seating available in the main stand. Both areas are accessed from west turnstiles.
Prices for entry are:
Adult: £20
Concession (Over 65, student and 17 -20yrs. PROOF MUST BE SHOWN): £15
Age 12-16yrs: £5,
Child under 12yrs (must be accompanied by adult): £1
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
Q Club – 13:15
Station Bar – 13:30
Non members welcome.
Please call 07979496154 or email to book.
John Lambie Jordanhill Branch:
Pick ups:
Jordanhill Station – 1:45
Thornwood Bar – 1:50
Prices:
£12 for adults
£6 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.
It’s a trip to Cappielow Park for Partick Thistle this Saturday as they look to return to winning ways with a victory against Greenock Morton. The Jags spent most of the last week in Tenerife making use of warm weather training facilities as they prepare for the hugely important final seven games of the season.
The Jags will be looking to put right the wrongs of their last visit to Cappielow when they were handily beaten by the Ton in their heaviest defeat of the season. Gary Caldwell spoke to ptfc.co.uk ahead of the fixture, starting by recapping the squad’s time away in Spain:
“It was a fantastic opportunity for us. Being able to change the environment and work on things out there was great. Also, to have the boys together 24/7 was brilliant to help build relationships and a team spirit because we have so many new faces.
“We were able to focus completely on training and being able to work in ideal conditions on things that needed working on. Overall, the boys are refreshed and ready to give their all for the three points this weekend.”
Coming into the game against Morton, Thistle sit three points clear of bottom side Alloa and five behind the Ton so Gary knows that this game is not only a chance to move further away from 10th but also a good opportunity to pull Morton back into the mix.
“Every game is a massive one now and each one will have huge implications as far as the league table is concerned, this one is no different. A win for us puts pressure on everyone around us and, at the end of the day, that’s all we can focus on; winning our games.”
Looking back to Thistle’s last trip to Greenock, Caldwell doesn’t feel like that result should affect the team’s mentality coming into this weekend’s game as there will be a very different look to the squad this time round.
“It’s a completely different set of boys that we have now so I don’t think they need to look back to that game. It’s not a feeling that anyone that was there that day wants to have again because it hurt. Those days are always going to be difficult but we have to leave those memories behind us and try to replace them with happier ones from this Saturday.”
We finished by asking Gary for an update on the fitness of the squad going into the weekend.
“We’re almost at full availability. Everyone who went out to Tenerife trained fully and is available but unfortunately Lewis Mansell didn’t travel. He was feeling ill after the Inverness game and had to stay behind but he’ll be ready to play as well, thankfully.
“Tam O’Ware was training with us on the grass in Tenerife which is great. He managed to do some passing drills and that sort of thing so we’ll continue to build his training up. Hopefully next week he’ll be able to do some contact stuff and from there we can move towards getting him a reserve game.”
More exclusive preview interviews with Christie Elliott, Steven Anderson and Jags manager, 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 Cappielow Park? Jagzone members can listen to live audio commentary of the match. JagZoneLIVE begins at 2:45pm tomorrow.
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 © 2019. 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 back on the road for a trip to Cappielow to take on Greenock Morton. The Jags came into the game off the back of just one win in seven in all competitions while their hosts had won only once in their previous nine.
Gary Caldwell made four changes to the team which lost to Inverness eight days prior starting with Conor Hazard who replaced Jamie Sneddon in goals having returned from international duty in midweek. The Jags lined up with a back three of Steven Saunders, Steven Anderson and Jack McMillan while James Penrice and Christie Elliott provided width from the wing-back positions. In midfield, Stuart Bannigan played alongside the returning Shea Gordon who was making his first appearance since picking up an inury against Celtic way back in August. Blair Spittal was back in the starting line-up at number 10 having started on the bench last week while Kris Doolan and Scott McDonald forged an experienced partnership up front. On the bench for the visitors were Jamie Sneddon, Sean McGinty, Craig Slater, Joe Cardle, Aidan Fitzpatrick, Miles Storey and Lewis Mansell.
The hosts started the stronger of the two teams and could have easily taken the lead after eight minutes had it not been for some good goalkeeping from Conor Hazard. The Morton striker played a sharp one-two with Greg Kiltie which got him in behind Steven Anderson but when faced with a one-on-one against Hazard, he failed to beat the Celtic loanee as the Northern Irishman blocked with his legs.
The Ton would be left rueing that missed opportunity in the 16th minute when Kris Doolan found the back of the net to put Thistle in front. It was Jack McMillan’s forward pass which fed the striker as his left-footed ball fell kindly for Doolan in the box. The Partick Thistle Hall of Fame’s most recent addition then wasted no time, poking the ball past Robby McCrorie with one touch before wheeling off to celebrate his first goal since the 5th of January in front of some of the Jags’ travelling supporters.
The Jags then doubled their lead after 36 minutes as Steven Anderson returned to the scoresheet. Blair Spittal bent the corner in towards the back post where Anderson was primed to attack. He nodded the ball towards goal only for it to be blocked by Scott McDonald. The striker used his thigh to cushion the ball down before allowing Anderson to run onto it for a second attempt as he this time made sure it found the net, volleying home from five yards out.
The scoring wasn’t over for the first half though and it was the Jags who grabbed the game’s third goal rounding off a thoroughly satisfying 45 minutes for the Glaswegians. Like the first goal it was Kris Doolan who scored and like the second it came from a corner. This time Shea Gordon took the set piece as he looked to pick out the run of Scott McDonald who found some space just inside the box. The ball reached McDonald and the number 10 touched the ball around the corner towards the near post where Kris Doolan was waiting and the 120 goal man became the 121 goal man as he touched the ball home from two yards.
The travelling Jags had chances in the second half to make the score even more convincing through Blair Spittal, Scott McDonald and Steven Anderson but there were no more goals to be had and the game ended 3-0 to the visitors.
The win took Thistle above Falkirk and into eighth, maintain their three point lead over bottom club Alloa who also won that day.
PARTICK THISTLE TEAM: Hazard, Penrice, Saunders, Anderson, McMillan, Elliott, Bannigan (Slater, 82′), Gordon, Spittal (Fitzpatrick, 87′), McDonald, Doolan (Mansell, 90′).
UNUSED SUBS (PTH): Sneddon, McGinty, Cardle, Storey.
GREENOCK MORTON TEAM: McCrorie, Iredale, McAlister, Waddell (O’Connell, HT), Buchanan, Tumilty, Telfer (Dykes, 83′), Lyon (Dallas, 72′), Millar, Kiltie, Thomson.
UNUSED SUBS (GMN): Gaston, Hynes, Watt, Oliver.
Partick Thistle returned to winning ways this afternoon with an impressive 3-0 victory at Cappielow Park against Greenock Morton. The Jags came into the match without a win in three but swept the Ton aside nevertheless, with a clinical first half display.
Kris Doolan opened the scoring on 16 minutes as he returned to the starting XI, before Steven Anderson doubled the advantage 20 minutes later. Then, just three minutes before the break, Doolan netted a second to secure his first brace since his 100th and 101st goals back in 2017.
Despite chances after the break, Thistle were unable to add to their winning margin but did hold onto their clean sheet and the 3-0 win which moves them above Falkirk and to within two points of the day’s opponents.
Thistle boss, Gary Caldwell, chatted to ptfc.co.uk following a thoroughly satisfying performance. He started by paying tribute to his front two:
“Our play in the final third was excellent for the whole game. The two strikers were magnificent and they showed their experience and class throughout. Kris Doolan worked very hard and popped up with two great striker’s goals while Scotty McDonald did a lot right without getting on the scoresheet.
“We wanted to get more passes into the strikers’ feet and that suited them down to the ground. They’ve both got a great first touch and great short passing ability which allowed them to combine really well and they brought others into the game very well too, I thought.”
The gaffer then walked us through the third goal of the game which saw the aforementioned strike partners combine.
“It was great to see another one of the routines come off although Scotty’s actually meant to shoot from that one. The movement was great and Banzo’s block at the edge of the box was excellent too but we put a lot of work into those set pieces and that was our reward for that hard work.”
The game represents the first time Thistle have won a league game by three this season but Gary felt like it could have easily been an even more comprehensive triumph for his side.
“We definitely could have scored more. I haven’t seen it back but Blair Spittal’s goal didn’t look offside to me then we also had chances through Scott McDonald and Steven Anderson could have easily scored again with his header in the second half. We’ll take the 3-0 and hopefully carry that sort of scoring form into the last few games of the season.”
The Jags boss ended by complimenting Steven Anderson, the scorer of Thistle’s second goal and a key component of the defence which kept Morton at bay for the full 90 minutes.
“He’s an old school defender for the most part. He likes making blocks and heading the ball which makes him a vital player for us in defence. Also, he’s constantly talking and helping those around him which makes the whole backline better.
“On top of that, he’s popped up with a few goals and having threats like Ando at offensive set pieces is brilliant for us and gives us more options when we’re creating our routines.”
A more in depth video interview with Gary Caldwell is available now to Jagzone subscribers, interviews with Kris Doolan and Steven Saunders are also available – log in now to see them.
Highlights will be added at midnight 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 © 2019. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Sat 30 March, 2019
SPFL Ladbrokes Championship 
Cappielow Park
McDonald is inches past the post with a shot from the edge of the area.
Great effort from McDonald as he tries a chip from the edge of the box but the keeper tips it wide.
Anderson heads Spittal's corner just wide.
Some neat play between McDonald and Doolan but the final ball can't quite find Doolan.
Spittal has the ball in the net but the flag is up for offside.
Gordon plays a corner to the edge of the box, McDonald knocks it towards goal and Kris DOOLAN knocks it into the net.
Spittal's corner is headed down by Steven ANDERSON. It's initally blocked but he slams home the rebound.
Penrice puts a great ball in from the left but its headed just before McDonald can make contact
Penalty shout as McDonald goes down in the box but referee Graham Beaton is unmoved.
Morton have a good chance from the corner, The ball pings about and falls to Wadell but he fires over the bar.
Doolan links up well with McDonald but McCrorie saves the later's shot.
Jack McMillan plays a long ball forward and Kris Doolan takes a great touch and slide it under McCorie
Big chance for Morton but Hazard come out to deny Thomson with a good save with his feet
Some pressure from Thistle ends with Blair Spittal putting a shot just wide of the post. A good move from Thistle.
Morton flash the ball across goal but it goes wide of Hazard's left hand post.