Partick Thistle v Kilmarnock – 16th May 2015

Thistle brought down the curtain on another successful home campaign when they hosted a Kilmarnock side which had lost its previous seven league games. Thistle were looking to extend their recent good home form to a fifth successive victory.

There were two changes to the side which had drawn in Hamilton the previous week. Ryan Stevenson, injured on the artificial surface at New Douglas Park, dropped out while James Craigen dropped to the bench. Kris Doolan and Gary Fraser came into the side while there was a place on the bench, for the first time, for young defender Jack Hendry who had put in impressive displays for the Development side all season long.

The game had a frantic start to it before Frederic Frans had the game’s first real opportunity. He got a head on Higginbotham’s corner but couldn’t direct it on target. Thistle had the best of the early running with Lawless showing great endeavour and creativity in the early stages. Higginbotham curled a shot just over the crossbar having worked well with a short corner routine.

After 23 minutes, Kilmarnock broke the deadlock after a controversial penalty award. Callum Booth fouled a Kilmarnock player, with the foul appearing to take place outside the box. The referee consulted his assistant at the Main Stand before awarding a penalty kick. Scott Fox saved Jamie Hammill’s penalty but the Kilmarnock player reacted quickest to the rebound to nudge Kilmarnock into the lead.

Thistle tried hard, with the support of a vociferous crowd, to get level with a promising situation brought to a conclusion by the referee allowing treatment for a stricken Kilmarnock player.

Kilmarnock won their first corner of the game with a little under nine minutes remaining in the half and Tope Obadeyi got clear of his marker to plant a firm header in the net from Eremenko’s delivery.

Kilmarnock led by two goals to nil at half time but Thistle were continuing to create, although not take advantage of, promising opportunities and there was optimism at the break that Thistle could get back into the game.

Thistle continued to create opportunities with Doolan stooping to put a header on target before Taylor went close with a free kick but Samson was still to be tested with a save.

Eremenko won a soft free kick 35 yards from goal and from it, Kilmarnock had their third goal of the game as Obadeyi was able to, yet again, get free from his man and force the ball home.

Conrad Balatoni gave Thistle hope when he guided home a header from a corner shortly after but the hope was destroyed when Magennis proved too strong for the defender and fired a powerful shot under Fox and into the net just three minutes later.

Thistle continued to create opportunities but struggled to get them on target, a story of the game for the team in red and yellow.

There were to be no further goals and Thistle finished their Firhill season with a disappointing 4-1 defeat with poor play in front of goal and defensive fragility contributing significantly to the score line.