Match Report
Thistle enjoyed a comfortable win in their first pre-season run out.
It took Thistle just a couple of minutes to take the lead. A Paul Paton corner finding the head of Kevin McKinlay who headed home at the near post.
Blyth though were level inside a minute. Ged Dalton finding room at the corner of the box and his shot flew past Jonny Tuffey and into the back of the net.
Despite that set back it was Thistle that continued to the bulk of the early running and a promising Kevin McKinlay run was only halted by a foul.
Thistle were forced to reorganise in the 20th minute when Simon Donnelly was forced to come off early after picking up an injury later described by assistant manager Gerry Britton as a “dead leg”.
It was Simon’s replacement trialist Simon Lynch that restored Thistle’s lead in the 29th minute. Mark Roberts was tugged to the ground by a Blyth defender and Lynch made an efficient job of the penalty that followed.
Lynch came close to a second goal in the 38th minute when a Paul Paton cross was fumbled by the home keeper Bell but the Blyth custodian was able to recover to block Lynch’s effort.
It was Blyth that came closest to scoring at the second half when Craig Hinchcliffe, a half time replacement for Jonny Tuffey, did well to keep out an effort from Karl Cook.
The bulk of the second half chances though would fall Thistle’s way. In the 56th minute Gary Harkins had a shot saved with Kevin McKinlay’s rebound blocked.
A minute later though Thistle had a third goal. Simon Lynch did well to control the ball inside the Blyth box and from 10 yards out found the net with a crisp shot.
That was the end of the scoring but Thistle would come close to adding to their tally on a number of occasions.
Paul Paton sent a shot following a Ricky Little assist over the bar after 68 minutes and in quick succession Mark Roberts and Ian Maxwell saw efforts scrambled clear for unproductive corner kicks.
Simon Lynch was within an inch of a hat-trick in the 81st minute but after seizing upon a defensive error he saw his shot blocked by the home keeper.
Gary Harkins with an attempted chip and David Rowson came close in the closing minutes as Thistle looked to add to their tally but this was a comfortable win, in pouring rain, all the same.
