Livingston v Partick Thistle – 16th July 2013

Although this pre-season friendly failed to produce a goal it was still a reasonably entertaining game played on a pleasant summer’s evening. Tempers though did get a little frayed in the closing stages of the game.
It was the home side that started the game the better and the game’s first chance came their way in just the second minute. Donaldson was able to get his head to a corner from the left hand side but the ball drifted over the bar.
Thistle though got into their stride fairly quickly. Ross Forbes was central to much of what Thistle produced during the first half and spotting Jamieson in the Livingston goal slightly off his line he attempted to chip the home keeper from 40 yards. His audacious effort never really looked like finding the net but it wasn’t too far off target either.
Forbes was heavily involved in Thistle’s next opportunity as well. His corner from the left broke off Kris Doolan at the back post but Jamieson was able to save right on his own goal line.
Doolan and Forbes combined again in the 11th minute but Forbes shot was just a little too close to Jamieson.
Both sides have a reputation for playing good football and another excellent Thistle move in the 16th nearly produced a goal but Steven Lawless’ shot from the right hand corner of the Livingston box was a shade too high.
It wasn’t all one way traffic, however, and a superb long ball from defence gave Livingston’s McNulty a chance but he could only lift the ball over Paul Gallacher’s crossbar.
The better chances though continued to come Thistle’s way. Christie Elliott send a shot over the bar after a Forbes corner had fallen to him and Forbes nearly found the net with a shot from the edge of the box after Steven Lawless had flicked the ball into his path.
Thistle were a little fortunate not to fall behind just three minutes into the second half. One of the Livingston trialist was left with just Gallacher to beat but he couldn’t make clean contact with the ball with the result that his shot slipped wide of goal.
It was Thistle’s captain for the night, Kris Doolan, that came the closest to scoring. He connected with an Aaron Sinclair cross from the left and his spectacular effort crashed off the cross bar. Seconds later Christie Elliott curled an effort just wide of target as Thistle looked to make the breakthrough that their play merited.
There was a steady stream of substitutions during the course of the second half which impacted on the rhythm of the game but each side would have a chance each to break the deadlock. Simon Mensing was able to get his head to a corner but the save that Paul Gallacher was required to make was fairly comfortable.
At the other end one of the many trialists saw his effort touched round the post for a corner.
There was a sting in the tail to the game with the referee having to produce a number of yellow cards as tempers began to get a little frayed after Livingston’s Jason Talbot’s late challenge on a young trialist.