Saturday 8th February, 2025 at 6:55pm
Ten men Partick Thistle bounced back from going behind within a minute to leading at Falkirk before going down 5-2 to the Bairns at The Falkirk Stadium.
New signing Scott Martin was brought straight into the midfield, but there was no place in the squad for fellow deadline day new boy Ethan Drysdale with the Jags now without transfer window exits Harry Milne and Scott Robinson.
Luke McBeth, Ben Stanway, and Terry Ablade came into the starting eleven, while Zander Mackenzie and Daniel MacKay made their way back onto the bench after lengthy injuries – a first league involvement for the latter whilst Steven Lawless missed out with a knock.
Barely a minute into the game and the scoring was opened for the home side. On his homecoming, Scott Arfield could slink onto a loose ball just inside the box and slide it home after a brave block from Lee Ashcroft.
It was tied up again however by the 10th minute. Coming from almost nowhere, possession was turned over and away Thistle went down the left. Terry Ablade’s fantastic pinpoint curving pass along the ground beat the defensive line and found LOGAN CHALMERS who calm as you like took it into the box and slotted it firmly home across the keeper in front of the away fans.
Ethan Ross found himself with the ball around eight yards away from David Mitchell at a tight angle. He struck the ball goalward, but Mitchell did well to palm it away.
With the ball launched high up the pitch by Thistle, headers by Brian Graham and then the Falkirk defence had the ball in the air for some time before it landed nicely on Ben Stanway’s chest. He flicked it towards the box and had a pop at goal on the half-volley, but it wasn’t the desired connection and the ball went wide.
GRAHAM sent the away fans into raptures 25 minutes in when Chalmers’ low ball from the right was flicked across and into the goal from six yards to make it 2-1.
Coll Donaldson went for it in terms of getting an equaliser from range when he saw the space in front of him, thumping it toward the top left corner but it spun wide.
Shortly afterwards Kanayo Megwa’s pass drilled towards Stanway just behind the penalty spot looked perfectly set for a free crack at goal, but the fast ball bobbled off the midfielder’s foot and to a defender who could clear.
Graham was the first name in the referee’s book as he lurched into a Falkirk player’s back on the half-way line.
Things were brought once again back to level terms despite Mitchell’s very best efforts in the Thistle goal. He dived to his left and made a solid stop from Brad Spencer’s penalty after an Ablade challenge was penalised, but Gary Oliver was quickest onto the loose ball to put the rebound in the net.
Shortly after, Ross Hardie produced a second yellow card for Graham for looked like an innocuous challenge on the half-way line again and sent him off, with the captain’s armband going to Daniel O’Reilly.
A yellow was then dished out towards the Thistle dugout as Graham walked off.
Five minutes to go until half-time and the hosts took the lead, as Arfield scored his second in near identical fashion to his first.
Half time – Falkirk 3 Partick Thistle 2
With Ross looking like he was going to outpace the backline and get a chance at goal, Luke McBeth used his strength and size well to force him away and see the ball out for a goal kick.
A second penalty was awarded to Falkirk on the hour mark when the ball was blasted off of the hand of Stanway from close range inside the box, then McBeth was booked for his protests. Arfield converted to complete his hattrick.
A double dummy in the Thistle box left the space for Ross to crack the ball towards the opposite corner. Falkirk fans were off their seats, but it went just wide.
Around the 65-minute mark Kris Doolan turned to the bench with three changes at once – Stanway, Megwa, and Scott Martin made way for Kyle Turner, Aidan Fitzpatrick, and Robbie Crawford.
With 15 minutes left home substitute Leon McCann headed the ball in at the back post for the home sides fifth.
As Falkirk pressed again Mitchell’s strong hands turned out a shot from inside the area from Finn Yeats.
A few nice flicked passes around Thistle’s box worried the defenders but O’Reilly did well to outstretch his leg and kick it out for a corner.
Ross’ free kick from a little over 20 yards looked worrying as it dipped quickly but the jumping wall turned it over the bar.
A few more efforts had Mitchell fully stretched but soared over, and the match finished with a win for the 11 men of the home side.
Full time – Falkirk 5 Partick Thistle 2
Teams
Partick Thistle – David Mitchell, Kanayo Megwa (Kyle Turner 65’), Lee Ashcroft (Aaron Muirhead 83’), Luke McBeth, Dan O’Reilly, Scott Martin (Robbie Crawford 65’), Stuart Bannigan, Ben Stanway (Aidan Fitzpatrick 65’), Logan Chalmers, Terry Ablade (Zander Mackenzie 77’), Brian Graham.
Unused substitutes – Luis Cameron (GK), Daniel MacKay, Matthew Falconer.
Falkirk – Nicky Hogarth, Liam Henderson, Coll Donaldson (Darragh O’Connor 72’), Brad Spencer, Gary Oliver (Barney Stewart 80’), Keelan Adams, Dylan Tait (Finn Yeats 72’), Luke Graham (Leon McCann 60’), Ethan Ross, Calvin Miller, Scott Arfield (Aidan Nesbitt 72’).
Unused substitutes – Ross Munro (GK), Tom Lang, Alfredo Agyemang, Sean Mackie.
Referee – Ross Hardie
Crowd – 6,471
By Connor Steel
