Saturday 23rd March, 2013 at 9:34pm
The wintry conditions outside may tell a different story but we are fast approaching what is generally referred to as the ‘business end’ of the football season. Although we still have a couple of outstanding fixtures, last Saturday’s match at Hamilton signalled the start of the final quarter’s round of fixtures.
Tomorrow we welcome to Firhill a Livingston side that have been involved in three highly entertaining fixtures with Thistle already this season and tomorrow’s match, our last home game prior to the Ramsdens Cup Final, is another eagerly anticipated fixture between two young talented teams.
Said Alan Archibald when speaking to ptfc.co.uk after today’s training session at Toryglen;
“I’m hoping that tomorrow’s game won’t be quite as open as the previous matches with Livingston . They are a good side though and the game should be a good advert for the First Division.”
Getting the three points though is naturally the manager’s priority tomorrow.
“We’re at the stage of the season where you want the win no matter how you get it. We are a good football side, as are Livingston, and if we can play good football then we will but all that matters now if getting the win. We started the last quarter last Saturday at Hamilton and we saw how difficult it was on the surface there. It could be something similar tomorrow.”
Alan was able to provide us with the latest team news.
“Stuart Bannigan is suspended and away with the Scotland Under 21 side in any case. I think Billy Stark shows a bit of give and take when he selects his squads and I think he took into consideration that Stuart was suspended when he picked his squad. The game is on Monday and it will obviously depend on how long Stuart plays in the game, but he should be back with us on Wednesday if needed.”
“Elsewhere Hugh Murray will miss out tomorrow as he has taken a knock on his foot but we are hopeful that Paul Paton should be able to come back into the squad.”
Alan continued;
“We are going to need everyone between now and the end of the season; we are going to pick up injuries and wee niggles here and there. It’s a squad game and I’ve been delighted with the way that both James Craigen and Christie Elliott have really stepped up to the mark in the last few games. The way the players celebrated Christie’s goal last week I think shows the real sense of togetherness that there is within the squad.”
It’s not just his full squad of players that Alan is looking to step up to the mark.
“The fans were brilliant last week at Hamilton. We outnumbered the home support by what looked like almost double and they really got behind us. They’ve been like that all season and that kind of support tomorrow would be very much appreciated.”
Partick Thistle Stats
Current Form – Last Five Games
W D L F A
5 0 0 11 0
Scorers Season 2012-2013
Steven Craig 13
Chris Erskine 13
Steven Lawless 12
Kris Doolan 9
Conrad Balatoni 5
Stuart Bannigan 4
Ross Forbes 4
Aaron Muirhead 3
Christie Elliott 2
Aaron Sinclair 2
Sean Welsh 2
Stephen O’Donnell 1
Own Goal 1
Last Game
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday March 16th 2013
Hamilton Accies 0, Partick Thistle 2
Livingston Stats
Current Form – Last Five Games
W D L F A
3 1 1 10 4
Scorers Season 2012-2013
Iain Russell 16
Marc McNulty 8
Anthony Andreu 6
Stefan Scougall 6
Jordan Morton 5
Jesus Garcia Tena 2
Keaghan Jacobs 2
Bobby Barr 1
Craig Barr 1
Dylan Easton 1
Callum Fordyce 1
Liam Fox 1
Daniel Mullen 1
Last Game
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday March 9th 2013
Raith Rovers 0, Livingston 2
Last Meeting
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday January 5th 2013
Livingston 2, Partick Thistle 2
Teams
Livingston: McNeil, McCann, Booth, Garcia Tena, Barr, O’Brien, Andreu, Fox (Mullen), McNulty, Scougall, Russell (Morton).
Thistle: Smith, Muirhead, Sinclair, Paton, Balatoni, Archibald, Bannigan, Welsh, Craig (McGuigan), Forbes (Lawless), Doolan (Erskine).
Scorers
Livingston: Andreu (29), McNulty (90)
Thistle: Doolan (25), Craig (32)
Crowd: 1,762
Match Highlights
Match Details
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday March 23rd 2013
Partick Thistle v Livingston
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Prices
Adults: £17
OAP (65+): £12
16-21: £12
Full Time Education: £12
Programme: £2.50
Match Officials
Referee: George Salmond
Assistant Referees: Douglas Ross and Alan Frame
Other First Division Fixtures
Airdrie United v Raith Rovers
Dunfermline Athletic v Dumbarton
Falkirk v Hamilton Accies
Morton v Cowdenbeath
