Saturday 28th June, 2025 at 5:20pm
Thistle kicked off their pre-season schedule with a 3-1 victory over Glenafton Athletic at Loch Park thanks to goals from Matthew Falconer, a trialist and Thomas Horn.
First Half XI: Budinauckas, Trialist, Ashcroft, O’Reilly, Reading, MacKenzie, Crawford, Falconer, Lawless, MacKay, Diack.
The first chance of the match arrived when Dan MacKay floated a cross in from the left-hand side for Steven Lawless, however, the winger’s volley hit the side-netting from an extremely tight angle.
Shortly thereafter, the Jags gave the ball away in a dangerous position just outside their own box and Glens striker Hugh Kerr sought to take advantage. His low strike was batted away by Lewis Budinauckas as the ex-Rangers ‘keeper faced his firs test of the new campaign.
After prolonged probing, Thistle were able to make the breakthrough in the 25th minute as some nice build-up down the left-hand side produced the key moment. Paddy Reading and Matthew Falconer worked the ball out to Dan MacKay who then fed it back to Falconer as he made a darting run into space in the box. The Academy graduate sized up the goal before attempting to curl a shot into the far corner which would deflect off a defender and find the back of the net.
A second came right on the stroke of half-time for the Maryhill men, this time from the right wing. The ball made its way out to Steven Lawless near the touchline and the number 11 shifted away from his man before sliding a pass into the Thistle trialist who found himself at the edge of the six-yard box. His first-time effort was blocked but the ball fell straight back to him and he thundered a shot high into the net to double the red and yellow advantage.
Half Time – Glenafton Athletic 0 Partick Thistle 2
There were 10 changes made at the break and Mark Wilson endeavoured to get some minutes for everyone in the squad.
Second Half XI: Cameron, Trialist, McBeth, Dolan, Low, MacKenzie, Stanway, Campbell, Chalmers, Fitzpatrick, Horn.
Not long after the restart there was nearly an extremely early goal of the season contender. The home side were awarded a free kick just shy of the half-way line and Glenafton’s Callum Wilson saw an opportunity to go for goal though he put a bit too much on it and saw his audacious effort narrowly clear the bar.
The Glens would get their goal before too long, however, as Thistle were made to pay for an error at the back. Luis Cameron had the ball played back to him by Jamie Low and Ross Lindsay’s energetic pressing allowed him to dispossess the Thistle ‘keeper and roll the ball into an empty net.
Mark Wilson’s side were able to muster up a near-instantaneous response as another of our Academy graduates got themselves on the scoresheet. A well-weighted long pass from Jamie Low landed the ball between Thomas Horn and Glenafton’s substitute goalkeeper with Horn showing the commitment to get there first and knock it away from James Hart. That touch forced him to the by-line though and it took an almost unbelievable finish off the far post to get Thistle their third of the game.
Horn came close to another goal when he received the ball on the left-hand side of the Glenafton box and cut onto his right foot but his low effort veered just wide of the near post.
Logan Chalmers threatened to get in on the act when he went on a spectacular run down the right flank, carrying the ball from the edge of the Jags’ box to the edge of the Glenafton six-yard area. When he eventually got his shot away with his right foot, the goalkeeper made a good save at his near post to keep it out.
Nick Lockhart and a further trialist were brought on during the second half to ensure every member of the squad got on the pitch but that would be all for the scoring as Thistle ran out 3-1 winners in New Cumnock.
Full Time – Glenafton Athletic 1 Partick Thistle 3
