Sat 17 October, 2015
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
McDiarmid Park, Perth.Steven MacLean 48′
Gary Miller 28′
Steven Lawless 34′
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Sat 17 October, 2015. Kick Off: - 15:00
McDiarmid Park, Perth.
Summary
Thistle make the trip to Perth to face an in-form St Johnstone team who defeated Aberdeen in an impressive 5-1 scoreline last time out. No Thistle fan needs reminding of the poor record at McDiarmid Park and Alan Archibald’s side will be looking to put to an end the near 22 year wait for a first team victory.
Thistle have managed to secure 2 draws in the 3 SPFL Premiership encounters between the side at McDiarmid Park and all of the Thistle squad will be keen to join Kris Doolan on the list of Thistle players to score at the ground on Premiership duty.
Entry
Thistle fans will be occupied in the North Stand with admission prices as follows:
Adults – £22,
Over 65s – £12,
13-18 year olds – £11
Kids aged 12 and under (must be accompanied by an adult, maximum of two children per adult) – FREE
Anyone purchasing a ticket as either concession or Under 18 price may be required to show proof of age
There is also the option for Thistle supporting families to occupy the Ormond Stand, which is situated behind the other goal at McDiarmid Park, within the SSE Family Section.
One adult and up to two children aged 12 or under can gain admission at a cost of £15. Unaccompanied adults or children aged 12 or under will not be admitted. Children aged 13-16 can gain admission at a cost of £8. Additional adults within a ‘family group’ are admitted at a cost of £15.
Travel
Perth is well served no matter how you choose to travel to the game. Public transport runs regularly to the city, but doesn’t serve the ground well, meaning either a taxi, or a long walk, is required to complete the final leg of the journey.
If travelling by car, the stadium is close to the A9 although free parking may prove problematic.
Train
Perth is well served for trains with hourly services calling at Perth Train Station. It does, however, have a significant distance to cover to get to McDiarmid Park meaning that it would require a taxi for any Thistle supporters getting the 13:41 service to the game.
Trains leave Glasgow Queen Street every hour at :41 with some additional services at ten past the hour.
Returning from Perth gives the first likely train to be the 18:14 service with regular services operating until 22:35 giving you plenty of time to toast a Jags victory!
Supporters Bus
North West Bus
Pick ups:
Milngavie Station: 12:30
Esquire Anniesland: 12:45
Maryhill CC Halls: 13:00
Prices:
Full Fare: £16.00
Concession: £10.00
(School aged children, unwaged adults, senior citizens, matriculated students)
For seats call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00 pm or e-mail
City Centre Bus
Pick ups:
Q-Club: 11:35
Station bar: 11:45
Non members welcome, to book call Duncan on 07979496154
Jordanhill Bus
Pick-ups:
Jordanhill: 13:00
Thornwood: 13:05
Pick-ups:
Adults: £16.00
Concessions: £8.00
To make a booking contact Alistair on 07817612563 / . Booking is essential. For general enquiries contact Iain on 07779668357 / .
Car
Travelling to Perth is a relatively simple process with motorways making up the majority of the journey.
Thistle fans should join up to the A9 and take it to Perth, where they will arrive at the Broxburn roundabout(believed to be the only roundabout in Scotland with all Scottish cities signposted). Turning left will take you past McDiamid Park before performing a U-Turn at the next roundabout. The stadium will then be visible on the left hand side.
There is a paid car-park located next to McDiarmid Park with free parking available on the streets further down Crieff Road.
Pubs & Eating
With McDiarmid Park being on the outskirts of Perth, drinking options for the thirsty Jags fan. The 208 club is the nearest pub and is located just a few hundred yards down Crieff Road and is welcoming to both home and away fans.
For other drinking locations Thistle fans will have to head into Perth City Centre where there are a wide selection of smaller independent pubs with a couple of larger chain pubs as well. If option to jump in a taxi to head to the ground rather than opting for the lengthy walk, there is a taxi rank located directly outside The Foundry.
There is a Pizza Express in Perth where Thistle fans who can dig out their 50/50 ticket from two weeks ago can enjoy a 25% discount off their evening meal after the game.
Thistle return to league business after the international break and it’s been a happy camp around Firhill since victory two weeks ago.
“It was great to get the first victory. We need to build on it, but the game against St Johnstone will be extremely tough. They’ve won each of their last three games and will be a difficult test.
“The international break came at a good time for us as we have a couple of players who have been struggling with niggles. It’s also been a happy camp and everyone has that spring in their step again.”
Thistle went down to England last week and Alan expanded more on the trip.
“We went down to Newcastle for a couple of days last week and it was good for the squad to get away and enjoy themselves. We did a couple of light sessions and let the lads do a bit of team bonding to get the morale levels back up. It’s good to get the players away from the intense scrutiny and to have a couple of days where they can just get away from things.”
Thistle haven’t enjoyed a good record at McDiarmid Park but that is something that the gaffer knows won’t affect the players.
“The record won’t bother the players one bit, they did it when we faced Dundee United in February so they are more than capable of doing it again tomorrow.
“We beat St Johnstone in our last match and it will be those players we play tomorrow so our squad are well aware of their weaknesses, we’ll go in with a gameplan that we will look to implement to pick up all three points. It will be a very difficult match and we’ll have to fight hard for the right to claim all three points.”
Alan finished off by giving us the team news ahead of the game.
“Christie Elliott is still missing, but Gary Fraser came through an hour for the development squad unscathed which is encouraging. Freddie Frans is fit again and Robbie Muirhead is available for selection again having sat out the match against Dundee United through ineligibility.”
Thistle returned to Ladbrokes Premiership action with a trip to Perth to play St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, a ground which Thistle hadn’t won at since November 1993. The side went into the game in high spirits having trounced Dundee United 3-0 in the match prior to the international break and were looking to pull the gap on the teams directly above them in the league.
Manager Alan Archibald made only one, enforced, change with Mustapha Dumbuya struggling with an illness picked up on international duty, allowing Gary Miller to face his former club. It was to be a change that had a direct impact on proceedings. Frederic Frans and Robbie Muirhead returned to the squad having missed the Dundee United game, but both had to settle for a place on the bench.
St Johnstone started the stronger and after five minutes it was looking like it was going to be yet another long afternoon in Perth for the Jags faithful. David Amoo, however, had other plans and he proved to be a valuable threat all game for Thistle. He sent over a cross which fell to the feet of Bannigan, who forced a good save from Mannus with a crisp volley. It was a sighter for the midfielder who fired inches wide from distance with the goalkeeper beaten all ends up.
Both sides were firing dangerous crosses into the box, but dogged defending, with a touch of luck, was proving to be valuable in each opposition box. Dave Mackay saw a free kick from 20 yards well saved by Cerny before Amoo used his paced to test Mannus after breaking away from the resulting corner.
With just under 30 minutes played, Thistle took the lead. The ball dropped to Gary Miller 25 yards from goal and his first time volley curled its way into the bottom corner of the net with a strike of outstanding quality. Liam Craig passed up a good chance to level by heading over from 6 yards out before Steven Lawless produced a sensational strike of his own.
A throw in was played in the direction of the winger, who allowed it to cross his body. From a fully 30 yards he smashed a shot high into the top corner to double Thistle’s lead.
Thistle had a couple of extra opportunities to extend the lead prior to half time but good defending from St Johnstone forced the side to settle for only a two goal lead. Manager Alan Archibald will have stressed the importance of not conceding an early second half goal, but Thistle being Thistle, did exactly that.
A cross from Cummins from the left hand side was nodded home by Steven MacLean from close range, taking his tally to 9 for the season. Liam Craig almost equalised moments later but Cerny was more than equal to his fierce drive.
The game was stretching from end to end at a fast tempo and Thistle were struggling to get a foot hold in the game. Bannigan and Osman went into the referee’s notebook presenting St Johnstone with favourable opportunities from free kicks, which Cerny dealt with comfortably.
With time winding down, slack play from Thistle almost gifted Saints an equaliser when MacLean rounded Cerny, but Miller and Lindsay managed to scramble the ball away. With five minutes to go the odds were stacked higher against Thistle.
A shot from Shaughnessy was blocked by Osman on the edge of the box, with referee Beaton awarding a free kick to St Johnstone having deemed it hit his hand. With Saints protesting for a penalty, he issued a second yellow card to Osman who had to make the long walk off the pitch. After a lengthy delay, MacLean fired the free kick wildly over the crossbar.
With four minutes of injury time to navigate, Thistle put in a dogged backs to the wall performance and held out to claim their first win at McDiarmid Park since November 1993.
It was a delighted Alan Archibald who spoke to ptfc.co.uk shortly after the full time whistle after Thistle emerged from McDiarmid Park with a richly deserved three points.
“I’m delighted with today’s result. We’ve missed a lot of chances earlier in the season, but we’ve worked hard, kept going, and now we’re seeing our luck change.
“I thought it was a great performance. We looked really dangerous on the break throughout the game and we could haveadded more goals to the result. In the second half we struggled a little with holding the ball up and as a consequence St Johnstone got the ball further up the pitch and they kept coming at us.
”It took a stern defensive performance to repel wave after wave of St Johnstone attack but the side held out strong.
“The defence worked ever so hard and were throwing their bodies in the way of everything. Liam Lindsay looked like an extremely experienced defender today and it is hard to believe he only turned 20 last week. We know the qualities of Dan and he led the side through the difficult spell of having ball after ball launched into the box.”
Victory pulls Thistle closer to the teams in front of them but Alan was keen to play down the importance of the win.
“Listen, it’s only one game. We’ve now won two on the bounce and it is good to get a run like that together. We are now focussed on Hamilton Accies, knowing that we will have to change it up with Abdul Osman being suspended. We aren’t looking any further than that but we know we face a tough battle.
”It was two spectacular goals which secured the three points for Thistle and Alan was pleased to see his side score their first goals from outside the box this season.
“I didn’t know that and it is always good to see spectacular goals, but being honest I don’t mind how they go in. The players have retained the confidence to shoot from distance and when in the past it may have collided with the woodwork, now they are flying into the net.
“I think Gary Millar thought he had won goal of the season for awhile there, but Stevie Lawless has dragged on in as well and they will have a battle between each other which is good for the camp. I’m glad they had the confidence and the belief to try their luck from distance and thankfully it has led us to the win. We were aware of the record[almost 22 years without a win at McDiarmid Park] but we broke a similar one at Tannadice last season so it shows the mental toughness in the group.
Alan finished with a word of thanks for the 515 Thistle fans who went to Perth to back the side.
“The fans were exceptional today. I know it’s a cliché but they really were the 12th man. They never wavered in their support of the team and they roared the side on when the side wereunder pressure and helped give them encouragement. I know that the journey home from Perth hasn’t always been pleasant in the past but I hope it feels a lot better for all the Thistle fans tonight”
