Saturday 20th October, 2012 at 9:04pm
Victory in this one-sided affair saw Thistle finish the first quarter of the league season proudly atop the First Division.
Thistle were well on their way to full points inside the first half’s first ten minutes. The opener arrived in the 3rd minute. Sean Welsh spotted Chris Erskine to his right and when Erskine was left with Kenny Arthur to beat he did so with ease.
Erskine was heavily involved in Thistle’s second goal just eight minutes later. He was nudged in the box and when Euan Norris pointed to the spot Aaron Muirhead was the player to take the spot kick and he sent the ball high into the back of the net.
A third goal nearly swiftly followed. Steven Craig’s knock down was collected by Ross Forbes and cries of ‘goal’ were only stifled by a point blank range save from Kenny Arthur.
With Thistle finding gaps all over the park it was a surprise that it took Thistle until the 30th minute to score a third goal. Steven Lawless and Chris Erskine combined to open up the Airdrie United defence. Erskine’s ball to the back post was cleared but only as far as Steven Lawless who sent a low shot into the net.
Stephen O’Donnell had a shot cleared off the line as Thistle looked for a fourth goal and that fourth goal arrived in the 42nd minute. A sweeping Thistle move ended with Stephen ‘Donnell’s cross from the right being knocked into the net by Sean Welsh.
Amazingly that wasn’t the scoring finished for the first half. With the 45th minute mark approaching Chris Erskine was left clean through on goal and he lifted the ball over a beleaguered Kenny Arthur and into the net.
Thistle made a change at the break replacing Steven Craig, who had been on the wrong end of some hefty challenges during the first 45 minutes, with Kris Doolan and Doolan got in on the act with Thistle’s 6th in the 57th minute. Doolan was able to get on the end of a cross from the right to score his sixth goal of the season.
An angled drive from Steven Lawless went wide of goal as the one-sided affair continued.
Thistle were able to introduce Christie Elliott and Paul Slane into the action in the 65th minute and Elliott was unlucky not to get on the score sheet in his first serious involvement in the action. Kris Doolan was able to push the ball through to him and Elliott’s effort from the right corner of the box was only narrowly off target.
Airdrie United’s day though would only get worse. A dreadful over the top challenge from sub Scott Sally earned him a deserved red card and a seventh Thistle goal followed in the 80th minute.
A Ross Forbes free kick on the right completely deceived Kenny Arthur who allowed Forbes’ effort to beat him at his near post.
