Match Report

Stenhousemuir v Partick Thistle – 14th July 2018

Saturday 14th July, 2018 at 5:15pm

As Scottish football’s summer break gets shorter and shorter, we return to competitive action in mid-July. The Betfred Cup group stages kicked off today as the 2018/19 season officially began.

Partick Thistle travelled to Ochilview for the campaign opener with Stenhousemuir the opponents. The Maryhill men came into the contest with a good recent record against the Warriors. The Jags hadn’t lost to Stenny since February 2001, before Thistle winger Aidan Fitzpatrick was even born.

There were six debuts in a new look Thistle starting XI. Aaron Lennox began the match between the sticks with Cammy Bell not quite ready to make the squad despite doing some training ahead of the game. In defence, it was James Penrice at left back, new signings Tam O’Ware and Sean McGinty in the centre of the back line and Christie Elliott returning to action, after non-football related surgery, at right back. Shea Gordon and Craig Slater both debuted in the middle of the park just behind another debutant in the form of attacking midfielder, Jack Storer. Chris Erskine and Blair Spittal were the wingers with Kris Doolan as the sole striker.

The Jags were looking for a quick start and got exactly that when Shea Gordon bagged the opener after two minutes. The debuting Motherwell loanee found the net with an easy tap-in as he got on the end of Blair Spittal’s square ball and things got even better for the Northern Irishman in the sixth minute.

Just four minutes after opening his account as a Thistle player, the new number 14 grabbed a second. This goal was much more difficult than his first as his late run was found by Sean McGinty’s pass from deep. With the opposition goalkeeper, Graeme Smith, slightly off his line, Gordon lifted a first time finish over the experienced ex-Brechin ‘stopper to extend the red and yellow lead.

It could so easily have been three as well with Shea Gordon involved again on eight minutes. It was the goalscorer who turned provider this time as he picked out Kris Doolan with a cross. Thistle striker, Doolan stretched to meet it and directed and effort on goal but Graeme Smith did well to get across his goal line and deny the Jags skipper.

In the 30th minute there was a bit of injury trouble for the Jags as Aaron Lennox went down holding his knee. The Australian was in pain after a goalkick and that injury saw him subbed off at half-time for Jamie Sneddon.

After the break, Thistle took control of possession and looked like adding to their two goal advantage. With nine minutes gone of the second period, the Jags had their next big chance. Craig Slater launched a cross-field ball which found Christie Elliott who then laid the ball off to Shea Gordon. The impressive 20-year-old then whipped a right-footed ball in to Blair Spittal. The number seven got his head to the ball but was denied his first of the new season by a solid Graeme Smith save.

Alan Archibald made his second change of the day as Christie Elliott came off for Miles Storey after 57 minutes. This change saw Miles go to the left wing with Blair Spittal filling in at right back.

The visitors went even closer to a third on 65 minutes as we almost saw our first own goal of the new season. Miles Storey received the ball out wide and bent a lovely cross into the middle. Morgyn Neill tried to deal with it, presumably attempting to nod the ball over his own bar. However, his header came off the underside of his own crossbar, not crossing the line according to the officials.

Following that opportunity, Thistle final sub was made. Jack Storer came off after his first 66 minutes of competitive football as a Jag. His replacement was number 16, Andy McCarthy.

With 15 minutes to play, Jamie Sneddon was seriously tested for the first time. Colin McMenamin was fed the ball on the right hand side of the box and he tried to catch the youngster out at the near post. However, Sneddon stood strong and turned the shot past the post for a corner.

The away side’s final big chance came in the 78th minute. Miles Storey beat his man on the left flank and cut the ball back to Chris Erskine. The number ten swung his left foot at it and found the target but Stenny substitute, Kyle Johnson was well-placed on the line to deflect the shot away for a corner.

As such, the game ended 2-0 with Thistle kicking off the new season by claiming three points for the Betfred Cup group stage.

The Jags return to action this coming Tuesday when Greenock Morton come back to Maryhill. The game kick off at 19:45 from the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.

THISTLE TEAM: Lennox (Sneddon, HT), Penrice, McGinty, O’Ware, Elliott (Storey, 57’), Gordon, Slater, Erskine, Storer (McCarthy, 66’), Spittal, Doolan.

UNUSED SUBS (PTH): Wilson, Fitzpatrick.

STENHOUSEMUIR TEAM: Smith, Donaldson (Johnson, 84’), Neill, Tena, Reid (McMenamin, 66’), Gibbons, Halleran (Dickson, 62’), Cook, Ross, Duthie, McGuigan.

UNUSED SUBS (STN): McMinn, Sinclair, Ferry, Paterson.