Saturday 9th November, 2024 at 5:55pm
Partick Thistle were left rueing missed chances as the points were shared with visitors Raith Rovers in a 1-1 draw at The Wyre Stadium at Firhill.
Brian Graham’s early opener was a header across goal from close range following a Logan Chalmers cross from the right-hand side. The equaliser came for Raith Rovers midway through the second half as a free kick by Dylan Easton rose into the left of the net.
It was an unchanged starting eleven for Thistle, but looking to the bench the headline was the return of Steven Lawless to the matchday squad following a lengthy injured spell. Aidan Fitzpatrick also came back from a short time out and joined Lawless on the bench.
They were against a Raith side which saw Sam Stanton – who was injured in training – and Callum Smith drop out to be replaced by Jack Hamilton and Dylan Easton with Kieran Freeman and Josh Mullin making returns to the bench.
After a minute’s silence that was observed impeccable, Thistle got the game underway and in the early exchanges a coming together between Kyle Turner and Shaun Byrne resulted in a Thistle free kick with play briefly stopped while the Raith man received treatment.
With Byrne back on his feet Turner laid the ball off to Stuart Bannigan who swung it into the box for Kevin Dabrowski to claim at second time of asking after a spill.
On five minutes, Logan Chalmers and Scott Robinson played a neat 1-2 on the right-hand side allowing Chalmers space to swing a left-footed cross into the box. BRIAN GRAHAM was at the edge of the far side of the six-yard-box to fire it back across goal with his head and open the scoring.
A 3v2 breakaway for Rovers looked troubling for the hosts, but Lewis Jamieson opted to take it on his own as he shot left footed from just outside the box forced a good save from Myles Roberts.
Following a challenge from Daniel O’Reilly on Jack Hamilton, Raith found themselves with a very dangerous looking free-kick just two yards outside the penalty area. Easton took it and tried to fire it low under the wall which was blocked.
The ball bounced to Fankaty Dabo who had a pop which was blocked and cleared this time.
Chalmers danced his way into the right-hand side of the Raith box and managed to launch it low across the face of goal searching for a waiting Graham. Visiting defender Callum Fordyce was first to it in the centre of six-yard box and his deflection sent the ball inches wide of his own goal.
A forward Thistle ball which could not be cleared ended up with Chalmers who once more took a touch and opened himself up to goal from outside the box. His curving left-footed shot looked promisingly bound for the opposite side of the net but narrowly missed.
Easton took the ball from his own half finding his way past three Thistle players, but his eventual effort on goal from range lacked power and was easily claimed by the ‘keeper.
Milne managed to spin away from Dabo to find room to get a low cross in, but the sea of bodies defended, and the only result was a Thistle corner. After a couple of punches away from Dabrowski possession ended up with Lee Ashcroft who saw the goalie was well off his line and attempted a lob, but Dabrowski could get back and claim.
An ambitious long shot was taken on by Turner who opted for power over finesse, and it flew over the bar.
Graham came close to a second around 36 minutes in as his curled a shot inside the box only to see it barrelling back off the post towards the goalkeeper.
Shortly afterwards a through ball from Easton had the Thistle back line beaten and Jamieson one-on-one with Roberts inside the box. With the ‘keeper rushing out, the forward had a hit and was left with head in hands as he watched it roll wide.
Milne, as he often did, found himself running the ball into the box from the left to send it low. Taking a bobble on the way it went across the face of goal with and with Dabrowski in no position to save any on target effort, there was nobody to meet it at the other end.
Shortly after, a scramble in the box presented a couple of great opportunities but some unlucky touches and bounces ended with a Robbie Crawford shot being blocked no sooner than it left his boot.
The first card of the game for each side came within a minute of each other, as a sliding challenge by Ashcroft and a Paul Hanlon loose elbow in their respective halves saw Steven McLean reach for the yellow.
Half Time – Partick Thistle 1 Raith Rovers 0
Thistle fans jumped from their seats very early in the second half as Robinson looked to square the ball for a tap-in, but the linesman’s flag went up.
Quickfire blocked shots in the Raith box were again the flavour of the day for Thistle, as Graham and Robinson could not get sufficient space to find the net.
Roberts looked to send Robinson through with a seeking ball launched into the opposing half, Thistle fans let their disagreement be known when the referee deemed Robinson to have pushed Hanlon’s back as the ball was on its way out for a Jags throw-in.
A Jamieson shot from inside the area was met with the strong hands of Roberts who palmed it away from danger with Ashcroft clearing.
A second Raith booking came after 57 minutes when Hamilton came sliding through the back of Milne after he had passed the ball away up field.
A minute later after taking the ball down with his chest, Graham decided to let fly a long-ranged effort at goal, but it was powered over the bar.
Easton brought the scoreline level on 68 minutes when he took on another central free kick at the edge of the home box and this time sent it flying into the left-hand corner.
Visiting captain Scott Brown was at the corner of the six-yard-box to receive the ball and hammer it dangerously towards the Thistle goal, but the effort was too high.
Lewis Stevenson came close to putting Rovers in front, but his shot had a bit too much scoop on it which sent it off course.
Thistle looked to get back in front and Graham allowed the ball to pass over him for Aidan Fitzpatrick to run onto. He sent it in low from the left with Terry Ablade waiting in the middle, but the ‘keeper and defender crowded him out and cleared the danger.
The full-time whistle was blown at 1-1 with Thistle left with a feeling of what might have been.
Teams
Partick Thistle – Myles Roberts, Kanayo Megwa, Daniel O’Reilly, Lee Ashcroft, Harry Milne, Stuart Bannigan, Robbie Crawford (Terry Ablade 81’), Logan Chalmers, Scott Robinson, Kyle Turner (Aidan Fitzpatrick 66’), Brian Graham.
Unused substitutes – Mason McCready (G/k), Aaron Muirhead, Steven Lawless, Liam Smith, Luke McBeth, Charlie Sayers, Ricco Diack.
Raith Rovers – Kevin Dabrowski, Liam Dick, Paul Hanlon, Callum Fordyce (Finlay Pollock 46’), Jack Hamilton (Lewis Gibson 62’), Fankaty Dabo, Scott Brown, Shaun Byrne (Ross Matthews 62’), Dylan Easton, Lewis Jamieson (Korede Adedoyin 78’), Lewis Stevenson.
Unused substitutes – Andrew McNeil (G/k), Kieran Freeman, Euan Murray, Josh Mullin, Kai Montagu.
Referee – Steven Mclean
By Connor Steel
