Match Report
A season that started back in July with a pre-season friendly with Blyth Spartans played in pouring rain finished with a match with Dundee at Dens Park also played to the backdrop of relentless rain.
Ian McCall's final team selection of the season saw a return from suspension for Gary Harkins while Simon Donnelly was given a start ahead of Kris Doolan.
Thistle could hardly have made a worse start to this game conceding a goal barely a minute after kick-off. A corner was only half cleared as far as Darren Young at the edge of the box and his deflected shot left Jonny Tuffey completely wrong footed and gave Dundee an early advantage.
It could have been even worse for Thistle six minutes later. Bryan Deasley was able to play in Colin McMenamin but he was unable to find a Dundee player with his cut back and Simon Storey was able to clear.
The wet conditions was hardly helping this game a spectacle worth watching and after the early goal neither side were able to create much in front of goal. Jonny Tuffey did have to look sharp in the 27th minute when he got down low at his post to keep out a shot from Andrew Shinnie.
At the other end Liam Buchanan was Thistle's liveliest player but it was David Rowson that tried his luck from distance in the 29th minute but his shot harmlessly cleared the Dundee crossbar.
It was something of a surprise when in the 34th minute an uninspired fixture had a second goal and it was scored once again by the home side. Colin McMenamin times his run perfectly to collect a through ball before taking the ball round Tuffey and placing his shot into the back of the net.
With half-time nearing Dundee twice came close to scoring the third goal that would surely have secured the points. Alan Archibald firstly having to do well to clear a Deasley cross with McMenamin before Eddie Malone shot over the bar.
Thistle were close to a goal on the stroke of half-time. Paul Paton made good progress down the right before sending over a cross that Marc Twaddle was just unable to direct on target, the ball slipping just the wrong side of the post.
In an attempt to prevent the season finishing on something of a low note Ian McCall made a change at the break with Kevin McKinlay coming on to replace Ian Maxwell.
It was Dundee though that had the first chance of the half. Andrew Shinnie curling a shot over the bar from the edge of the Thistle box.
Thistle though came close to halving the deficit with their first attack of the second half. Gary Harkins was fouled right at the edge of the Dundee box. Paul Paton took the free kick and he managed to pick out a late run from Gary Harkins but his, unchallenged, header went wide of goal.
It was a distinctly improved display from Thistle in early stages of the second half and in the 52nd minute an Alan Archibald shot nearly snuck past Robert Douglas at his near post.
Archibald was close again 4 minutes later when he again forced Douglas into a save as Thistle enjoyed some sustained pressure for the first time in the game.
In the 62nd minute Thistle were once more close to scoring. A John Robertson cross was able to pick out Gary Harkins in the six yard box but his header was too high. A minute later it was Kevin McKinlay's turn to head over following a cross from Paul Paton.
In the 66th minute Thistle made their second change of the afternoon with Kris Doolan coming on in place of Liam Buchanan.
In the 69th minute the game was put all beyond the reaches of Thistle. Dundee had offered little as an attacking force in the second half but Colin McMenamin was able to get on the end of a Deasley cross and steer the ball into the corner of the net.
A booking picked up by Paul Paton would have meant a two game suspension at the start of next season and it was with that in mind that prompted Ian McCall to remove that danger when he was substituted by Ricky Little.
Simon Storey though did pick up a yellow card which subject to confirmation will keep the player, who has been offered a new deal for next season, out of the opening league game of next season.
With 14 minutes remaining things got worse for Thistle. McMenamin completing a hat-trick with a low shot from the edge of the Thistle box.
