SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Sat 17 February, 2018. Kick Off: - 15:00
The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill
Fixture details:
HOME Ticket prices(Jackie Husband and North Stands):
Adults £22
Concessions (Over 65s, students, disabled supporter including carer) £15
Under 16s FREE
AWAY Ticket prices(Colin Weir Stand):
Adults £22
Concessions (Over 65s, students, disabled supporter including carer) £15
Under 16s £5
Match Sponsor:
Match Ball Sponsor:
PlayerZone:
Callum Booth and Mustapha Dumbuya
Aitken Suite:
Opens to all supporters at 11:45
Half Time Legend performing 50/50 draw:
Albert Craig
Programme:
Find out what is inside Saturday’s issue
Available around The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill for only £3
After a brief break from league duty the Jags return to Ladbrokes Premiership action on Saturday as Dundee make the trip to the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill. The match marks the first of three games for Thistle that could prove crucial in determining the shape of the rest of the season.
Although Alan Archibald is never one to place too much emphasis on one fixture, it’s fair to say that he is well aware of just how big a fixture Saturday’s is and he made this clear when he spoke to ptfc.co.uk after training on Friday afternoon.
“They are certainly an interesting set of games. It’s three big fixtures but I’m probably just saying the same as the other managers of the teams we are going to play in the coming weeks. They are winnable games but they are the proverbial six pointers too and against teams that we’ll probably end up playing again in the bottom six.
“A lot of where you end up in the league come the end of the season is determined by how you do against the teams around you in the table. These kinds of runs can make or break a season. Winning fixtures like these can give you a massive lift and you don’t need to worry about what is going on in other games – it keeps everything in your own hands. It gives us the chance to go as high as eighth I think but the flip side of that is that it gives Dundee a chance to pull away from us so the implications really are huge.
“We just take the games one at a time and look to put everything we have into each 90 minutes. It’s an old adage but it really is all you can do.”
Much has been made of Thistle’s experience last term proving valuable reassurance for the side as they plough well into the second half of the season. Although Archibald is tentative to draw too much on that experience, he does recognise the value of knowing what it takes.
“We went on a good run around this time last year and it makes a massive difference. If you can get back to back wins in this league it makes a big difference and gives you that all important momentum. It’s amazing just what a difference a few points can make in this league, it’s ever so tight and it doesn’t take much to see a team move right up the table.
“Every season is different though and we can’t rely on previous experience to get us where we need to be this term. The playoff and the split has certainly added a bit of excitement to the league but it’s horrible for you when you’re involved with it.
“The biggest thing about making the top six last year was that you weren’t involved in the scrap and the way it has been the last three or four years has meant that every team involved in the bottom six can get dragged right into that battle and it looks like it’s going to be the same this year.”
With a win potentially taking Thistle as high as eighth in the table it really is the same story as recent seasons in terms of how tight the table looks. That being said, the Jags boss insists that there really isn’t anything between most of the teams in the league.
“It really is a game of inches. Outside of the top four or five teams there really isn’t much between the teams and it tends to just come down to who turns up on the day. I think you saw that on Tuesday night when Dundee were probably the better team for a long period of the game but Kilmarnock were outstanding when they went down to 10 men and that changed the game. You’ve seen it in a number of our games this season as well. The best example of that was probably the last time we played Dundee here when they were the better side and we hit them with a bit of a smash and grab to take all three points. It’s fine, fine margins.
With player returning from injury on a seemingly daily basis, Archie looked genuinely pleased to be able to pass on more positive news on the fitness front.
“We’re in a really strong position this week. We’ve got Stevie Lawless coming back after he just missed out for the Celtic game. Paul McGinn is suspended but other than that the only players who will still be out is Christie Elliott and Stuart Bannigan. Even Christie though has made real progress and played 45 minutes in a Development League Game on Tuesday so he is probably only a couple of weeks away from coming back into full contention after four months out with a fractured ankle.”
More exclusive preview interviews with Callum Booth, Mustapha Dumbuya and Jags gaffer, Alan Archibald, are now available to Jagzone subscribers – log in to see them. Jagzone members will also be able to watch highlights of the game.
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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.
With Partick Thistle’s William Hill Scottish Cup journey ending last Saturday away to Celtic, it was a return to the nitty-gritty of Ladbrokes Premiership action as the Jags welcomed Dundee to the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill. The side started the afternoon one point apart with the Dark Blues just above Thistle in ninth place. A win for either side would lift them to eighth at least until St. Johnstone play Celtic tomorrow.
Alan Archibald made five changes to the side that were defeated 3-2 at Parkhead last Saturday with alterations made to the defence, midfield and attack. Tomas Cerny retained his place between the sticks for the Jags but there were two changes to the four in front of him. Paul McGinn missed the game through suspension so Mustapha Dumbuya came into the side to make his third start since returning from injury. At centre-half, Niall Keown came into the starting XI in place of Daniel Devine, taking his place beside Baily Cargill who was flanked by Callum Booth at left-back. Abdul Osman returned to the starting line-up alongside Martin Woods with Thistle’s skipper, Osman replacing Adam Barton. Ryan Edwards and Chris Erskine both remained in the team at number ten and right-wing respectively while Kris Doolan and Blair Spittal dropped to the bench. Doolan and Spittal made way for Miles Storey and the red-hot Conor Sammon, who was looking for a sixth goal of 2018.
Thistle started the game brightly and created an opening in the third minute. The Jags deployed a well-organised corner routine to create space for Chris Erskine in the Dundee box. Martin Woods then drilled a low delivery towards the Jags’ number ten who shot first time. His effort was on target but was blocked and cleared by the opposition defenders.
The home side continued to control proceedings in the first half and had another good opportunity to break the deadlock in the 26th minute. Miles Storey knocked the ball down the line and flew past Cammy Kerr to get the ball back into the box. It wasn’t going to find a Thistle jersey until a touch off a Dundee man took it towards Martin Woods. The midfielder had little time to think about his shot and simply swung his leg instinctively at it. His effort stayed down but was straight at Elliot Parish allowing the ‘keeper to hold easily.
The hosts had another couple of half chances through Chris Erskine and Callum Booth before they would take the lead with three minutes left of the first half. Mustapha Dumbuya received the ball in some space on the Thistle right and he fed the ball into Chris Erskine. The midfielder then laid the ball off for Dumbuya who was rushing forward. The number two then delivered a curling cross into the Dundee box which Ryan Edwards knocked down. It landed in the vicinity of Conor Sammon who took a touch to bring the ball down before poking it home from close range to give the Jags the lead.
As such, Thistle went into the break with a one goal lead thanks to Sammon’s opener and you would be doing well to find one person in the ground who would argue the lead was undeserved. The home side had controlled almost all of the play in the match and had played some decent football at times with Miles Storey, Chris Erskine, Callum Booth, Martin Woods and Ryan Edwards all involved in attacking moves. However, despite having a few good chances and half-chances, Thistle only held a single-goal advantage which is never a safe one in football.
With the visiting Dundee side chasing the game, they started the second half well and could have been level within five minutes of the restart. Sofien Moussa received the ball in the Jags area and held it on the spot for a moment. He then attempted a volley above his head which he sliced, however, the ball fell to Simon Murray. He struck a shot first time but didn’t catch it and lashed his effort high into the North Stand.
As the Dee attempted to build themselves back into the match, the hosts had a golden opportunity to quash that comeback on 59 minutes. Miles Storey broke to the by-line and whipped a great delivery into the Dundee box. Conor Sammon helped the ball on with a light flick which got it to Chris Erskine. The number ten then turned brilliantly and fired on goal but Elliot Parish made an excellent stop with his right foot to keep the score at 1-0.
Alan Archibald then made a couple of changes as the game wore on. Blair Spittal came on for Chris Erskine in the 70 minutes while Kris Doolan replaced Miles Storey on 79 minutes.
As the game drew closer to a conclusion the pressure from Dundee grew and grew. The Tayside team were throwing everything at the Jags and got a reward for their pushing as they grabbed an equaliser with five minutes left of the regulation 90. The away side turned possession over in the Thistle half and the ball was played into A-Jay Leitch Smith. The Englishman then hit a first time shot without looking which dragged wide of the goal, however, Simon Murray anticipated that and made the move towards goal which allowed him to slam home into the empty net.
Dundee didn’t settle for on goal either as they nicked all three points with a 90th minute winner. The second goal came from a Roarie Deacon corner which then fell to Mark O’Hara. O’Hara fired a shot towards goal which deflected into the path of A-Jay Leitch Smith who cut the ball back into the six-yard box. It came to Steven Caulker who saw a shot blocked by Ryan Edwards on the line but the ball flew up into the air, in front of Simon Murray who nodded home from a couple of yards.
It was the all too familiar feeling of late heartbreak for Thistle as the roles were reversed from the Jags Maryhill meeting with Dundee earlier in the season. The defeat leaves Thistle in tenth just a single point above the relegation play-off position with six games left before the split.
Alan Archibald’s Jags now have to begin preparations for next Saturday’s clash with 11th place Hamilton as Thistle continue their push for Premiership survival. Kick-off is 15:00 from the SuperSeal Stadium.
THISTLE TEAM: Cerny, Dumbuya, Keown, Cargill, Booth, Osman, Woods, Erskine (Spittal, 70’), Edwards, Storey (Doolan, 79’), Sammon.
UNUSED SUBS (PTH): Scully, Devine, Penrice, Barton, Lawless.
DUNDEE TEAM: Parish, Kerr, Caulker, Meekings, Aurtenetxe, Kamara, McGowan, O’Hara, Deacon (Curran, 79’), Moussa (Leitch-Smith, 60’), Murray.
UNUSED SUBS (DND): Malherbe, O’Dea, El Bakhtaoui, Spence, Lambert.
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.
With the Scottish Premiership split edging ever closer, points are becoming more and more valuable. Partick Thistle still face a race for survival but had the chance to move into eighth position with victory over Dundee this afternoon. The Jags started well and dominated the first half, even taking the lead through Conor Sammon just ahead of the break. However, a second half resurgence from the visiting Dark Blues came to a head as two Simon Murray goals in the last ten minutes gave Neil McCann’s side the victory. The defeat means Thistle remain in tenth, just a point above the relegation play-off spot. Jags boss, Alan Archibald spoke to ptfc.co.uk after the match.
Archie began by giving us his summary of a turbulent 90 minutes in Maryhill.
“I thought overall we merited the victory but if you defend like we did in that final ten minutes then you’re always leaving yourself open to late goals. We dominated the first half and were good value for the lead at half-time but we had other good chances which we passed up and that came back to bite us. At the end of the day, we let ourselves down with the way we played late on and we have no one to blame but ourselves.”
The gaffer then spoke to us about the two late goals that Dundee scored which he thought were avoidable.
“The first one is a quick turnover in possession. Abdul Osman feels he’s fouled but nothing is given and they go on to score from it. Their player actually seems to drag a shot and Murray is alert to that. The second is the more disappointing one from my perspective because it’s just a corner. Dundee somehow manage to get two free men in the box which leads to Caulker’s chance. They perhaps get a bit of luck as the ball then falls to Murray but we shouldn’t have let it get anywhere near that far.”
Alan ended by telling us of the increased importance of the next two games against Hamilton and Ross Count after Thistle dropped all three points today.
“Without a doubt, the games become even more important. Beforehand, they were big fixtures but they’re now massive for us as we can’t afford to drop more points against those around us. We put a lot into the game today but we can’t let it overwhelm us; we have to regroup and prepare for the upcoming games. We’ve got a good group of players and there is still plenty of quality in the team so we will be ready for the fight to survive.”
As Archie touched on, there’s no time to dwell for his Jags as they face another tough test against a bottom six rival when they travel to Hamilton to take on Martin Canning’s Accies side. Kick-off is 15:00 from the SuperSeal Stadium.
A more in depth video interview with Alan Archibald is available now to Jagzone subscribers and will be followed by reaction from Niall Keown and Abdul Osman. Log in now to see it as soon as it is available.
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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 February, 2018
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill
Minimum of 3 minutes additional time to be played.
An unorthodox clearance from Cerny gets the ball clear.
Nearly 2-0 for Thistle as Parish makes an excellent stop with his legs to deny Erskine.
Dundee clear the corner and try and break. Their progress is halted though by Edwards who then lashes a shot well wide of goal.
After a hanging cross to the back post from Booth a Woods' shot smacks off a defender.
Thistle clear the corner and then try and break quickly through Storey but the ball goes out for a Dundee throw. The visitors have been the better side second half.
Good chance for Dundee. Moussa is able to knock the ball down. Murray steals onto the loose ball at the back post but can't keep his effort from 6 yards out down and the ball spins high and wide.
Sammon tries to get on the end of a pass from Erskine but can't quite get the ball under control.
Deserved lead for Thistle with Conor Sammon poking home an Edwards assist from close range with half-time fast approaching.
Aurtenetxe has too much space on the left but Keown heads clear.
It's the Fish again and he pokes the ball home from close range to give Thistle a deserved lead.
Deacon shoots wide from about 20 yards out.
Another chance for Thistle. Erskine nods the ball down to Booth who sees his effort blocked.
Thistle come forward down the left and Booth sends over a great cross. It's too high for Sammon but Erskine just behind him gets his head to it but he is under pressure and can't direct the header on target.
Nearly an opening goal for Thistle as the ball breaks to Woods. He instinctively knocks the ball goalwards but it is straight at Parish.
Erskine and Sammon combine but just as things are looking like opening up for Sammon a Dundee defender gets across top make an important challenge.
First direct effort on goal for Thistle as Storey finds space outside the box. His shot doesn't present Parish with any real difficulty though.
A Dumbuya cross from the right aimed for the back post drifts away. Thistle have been getting into some promising positions on the right hand side.
First shot at goal comes from Dundee's Deacon. It's straight at Cerny but there is enough power in the shot that means Cerny has to push the ball clear.
Dumbuya wins the ball deep inside the Dundee half. He passes to Erskine whose cross is cleared.
Woods plays his corner in low. It finds Erskine who has a little space but his shot hits a defender and the ball is cleared.
It's back to league action this afternoon and Alan Archibald makes 4 changes from the side that exited the Scottish Cup last weekend.
Into the starting eleven come Mustapha Dumbuya, who replaces the suspended Paul McGinn, Niall Keown, Conor Sammon and Miles Storey.
Dropping to the bench are Blair Spittal, Adam Barton and Daniel Devine.