Sunday 15th December, 2024 at 8:00pm
Days on from claiming a point in midweek action, Partick Thistle were back at Petershill Park for their third outing of the week as they looked to round out their 2024 home calendar with three points against Montrose.
The afternoon’s visitors entered the tie having run out winners over SWF Championship side East Fife in the Scottish Cup. The Angus based side haven’t fared well in league action however, sat second bottom of the SWPL1. Since their last league win, Montrose have picked up a single point, coming in the reverse of this fixture as Carla Boyce nullified Guthrie’s’ goal to ensure that Thistle took one point back to Glasgow from the encounter in October.
After an early threat from Montrose, it wasn’t long until it was the turn of the red and yellow to push towards goal. A well worked throw-in from Docherty saw the quick 1-2 pass between the number 8 and Carla Boyce before the cross of which floated over the heads of the box before being tipped past the post by the Montrose keeper to deny the opener.
The press from Partick Thistle was duly rewarded in the 16 th minute as the initial free kick from the middle of the park ran out of play to award the corner kick. Swung into the now crowded box by Amy Bulloch, Boyce rose highest to meet it her header timed perfectly to fire high into goal to break the deadlock in the Jags’ favour.
They weren’t just to settle for the single goal advantage though, as just over sixty seconds after claiming their first, the advantage doubled as the initial effort from distance from Shona Cowan ricochet off the hands of the keeper, with Cara Henderson first to react on the goal- line to force it into the net in the 17 th minute of play.
Proceeding the goal, thistle were forced into an early change as Henderson fell worst off from a challenge on the perimeter of the pitch, a temporary pause of play then seeing the premature end to the afternoon for the goal scorer, replaced by Donaldson.
Just as they has been cohesive in attack, thistle were strong on the defensive as the visitors won possession from the loose pass, Currie out-bounding to meet the effort from close range in her first call to action before Falconer sent the ball out of play to deny them. In their period of possession, Montrose were quick to bring the match under contention in the 37 th minute as the switch ball opened up the space of the left side, the resulting cross landing perfectly to the empty side of goal for McLaren to send the header unmarked into the net to haul her side back into the game.
Just in the same fashion in which thistle had showcased in the opening minutes, a quick firing double from the visitors brought the game back level just moments later as after the initial cross ball from Pollard almost parallel to the byline at the left hand side was pushed away by Currie, McLaren was then first on hand to apply the finish to completely shake up the tie that had otherwise looked out of reach 5 minutes prior in the 38 th minute.
Following the second-half restart, the visitors caused for a heart-in-mouth moment following a variety of threatening chances from thistle, the shot from range from Montrose Brown fired past the surrounding jerseys before rattling Curries goal post and rebounding back into play for thistle to clear before setting back into the press.
Even with the challenge, it was thistle who swung the game back in their favour just over the hour mark. Substitute Longcake got ahead of her marker to win possession before driving deep into the box, the resulting cross in front of a busy 6-yard box was won by Boyce, whose sliding effort bounded high into the net for the number 10’s 6 th goal of the season and more importantly, to get the Jags back into the lead.
Blustery conditions at Petershill park saw the misjudgement of a number of passes that only worsened as time progressed. Perhaps most unfortunately this time for thistle, the initial long ball from the back fell short, with Montrose capitalising on the now loose pass that saw the ball reach Taylor. Taking advantage of the retreating jags jerseys, her chipped effort from the edge of the box lifted into the net to draw the tie back level in the 67 th minute.
A scrappy encounter ensued from the equaliser as the elements continued to pay no favour to either side as the ball bobbled around the playing surface. In the midst of the growing frustrations the looping pass was sent from Robinson to release Donaldson, her cross intended from the inbounding thistle players instead bounced off the hand of a Montrose jersey in the box, leaving the referee no alternative than to point ten minutes from time. With usual penalty taker Henderson forced off through injury, duties were left to Burchill who after a few attempts at keeping the ball in place from the wind, drew the shot wide as the game stayed level.
Despite efforts from both sides, the whistle called the end to a game that was claimed by Thistle early on, only to be unravelled in almost mirror images of each other in front of goal.
Although hampered by the conditions throughout, it’d be arguable that Brian Graham’s side would’ve seen an opportunity missed to claim a full points haul and challenge the top six for a third successive season.
Partick Thistle will look to end the year on a positive note as they make the journey to the Balmoral Stadium to take on Aberdeen on Sunday December 22 nd , kick off 1pm.
