Sunday 11th August, 2024 at 7:00pm
84 days since they rounded off another historic season, Partick Thistle women opened the curtains of their 2024/25 SWPL1 league campaign against Hibernian at their temporary home of Lochburn Park, Maryhill.
A positive pre-season ended on a high note as the Jags placed 8 past Kilmarnock, with
standout performances from top scorer Henderson as well as Boyce, who now dawns the number 10 shirt, grabbed a brace. Alongside this, pre-season saw the introduction of a number of new signings from a successful summer window for Brian Graham’s side as they geared up for another competitive domestic season.
The afternoons’ opposition, Hibs, come into the new campaign having finished one place ahead of thistle but with a different looking side than seen previously. The summer window saw a number of key players depart the Hibees but, like thistle, transfers have strengthened the Edinburgh side who looked to hit the ground running.
From kick-off, Grant Scott’s side were immediately on the press, winning the free kick in the final third within the opening minute of which was safely collected by thistles’ summer recruit between the posts, Currie.
Partick Thistles first venture towards goal fell just minutes later as Lawton slotted in to win possession from a loose Hibs pass, her ball in to the box was met in pace by the out
bounding opposition keeper however, who sent play back into the attacking half.
The opening minutes boasted a jumpy start for both sides. The ball in its majority was
airborne, bouncing back and forth around the centre third as both home and away sides bid to find the opener that would swing the tie in their favour.
That very opener fell in the ninth minute of play to the visitors. The diagonal ball from the defence fell into space, enabling former thistle forward Ferguson to bolt her shot from a neat angle into the far bottom corner to put the Hibees ahead.
The goal deficit caused the game to settle down as thistle began to build on their attack, the best of their chances falling in the 20 th minute after a period of possession got the ball into a promising area before the raised flag denied the shot.
Despite going a goal behind, Partick Thistle continued to grow into the game as the whistle ended the half. They were by no means to be ruled out of a points haul in the game, promising an enticing watch to both the home and away support that surrounded Lochburn Park.
The kick off from Thistle was matched with the pacing attack of the opposition as they forced the corner kicks early into the half. Their efforts were rewarded in the 50 th minute as Ferguson worked her way from the centre circle, a congested line of passing in a crowded box saw the ball fall towards Bowie whose effort landed into the net to extend the lead to two.
Undeterred by the scoreline, Thistle looked positive on the attacking foot. Searching to
respond from the goal, Burchill won possession from the half way line. Her pass found
Robinson, whose chipped ball bounded around the defending Hibs jerseys before dispersing back into the midfield. Quickly caught by Lawton, the one-two got the Jags number three into the box as she fired from its perimeter well beyond the reach of the Hibs keeper to get the Jags back in it in the 57th minute.
The final quarter proved to be a somewhat evenly marched affair as both sides continued to push for the goal that’d either level proceedings or put them out of sight.
A number of changes from the thistle saw Longcake, Docherty, Stewart, McAllister, and Gibb replace Sinclair, Cowan, Robinson, Bulloch, and Gray as the Jags looked to claim points from the tie.
On the stroke of the 90th minute, the long-distance pass from the back by Docherty got Thistle into an enticing area. Reaching Lawton first, the thistle goal scorer tried to nudge the shot past the stretched hibs back line, successful in this the ball rolled agonisingly wide of the post to deny her the equaliser.
Deep into injury time Thistle came agonisingly close to a deserved equaliser. McAllister’s low corner towards the penalty spot was met on the volley by substitute Caley Gibb but she saw her effort come back off the cross bar before falling beyond the reach of the Red and Yellow shirts in the six yard box.
The full-time whistle saw a strong Partick Thistle side narrowly miss out on a points return in a competitive return to SWPL1 action. Brian Graham’s sides’ next challenge falls away from home to Rangers at Broadwood Stadium on Sunday the 18th of August, kick off 2pm.
Partick Thistle: Currie, Lawton, Falconer, Henderson, Bulloch (Stewart), Ferguson, Robinson (McAllister), Cowan (Docherty), Gray (Gibb), Burchill, Sinclair (Longcake)
