Match Report
For this important fixture with Queen of the South Thistle showed two changes from the side that drew with St Johnstone. Simon Donnelly and Kevin McKinlay coming in for the injured Stephen McKeown and Lucas Akins.
Thistle made a bright start to this game winning a couple of corners in the opening minutes with Kevin McKinlay just unable to direct the second corner towards goal.
McKinlay was able to fire a shot towards the Queen's goal in Thistle's next attack but Robinson was able to make a comfortable save.
In Queen's first foray towards the Thistle goal Jonny Tuffey received a sore one while saving at the feet of Paul Burns. The Thistle keeper thankfully being able to continue following some treatment.
Thistle's hopes took a major blow when Queen of the South took a 12th minute lead. Stephen Dobbie, so often a thorn in Thistle's side, was able to turn at the corner of the box before sending a shot high into the back of the Thistle net.
With Thistle struggling to make much headway against Queen's Jonny Tuffey required to be well placed to save a Stephen Dobbie shot in the 23rd minute.
With 34 minutes played Thistle came close to falling further behind. Paul Burns did well to keep the ball in before rolling the ball into the path of Stephen Dobbie. Dobbie's cross fell perfectly for Barry Wilson but he couldn't quite direct his shot on target and Thistle could breath again, a second goal at this point perhaps ending Thistle's promotion hopes.
With half-time fast approaching some great skill from Gary Harkins took him to the corner of the box but his cross his cleared at the expense of a corner kick. Queen's could only partially clear that corner and when the ball was knocked back into the box David Rowson was able to get his head to the ball but his header is off target.
With the first half deep into injury time there was further anxiety for Thistle when Dobbie is again able to collect the ball at the edge of the Thistle box but his shot lacks power and Tuffey is able to complete a fairly routine save.
In a first half marked by a poor display from Thistle The Jags can manage just one shot directly at goal. Even then Marc Twaddle's can only shot weakly into the body of Queen's keeper Lee Robinson.
Thistle started the second half with Scott Chaplain on in place of Simon Donnelly.
The first half had been a frustrating experience and the signs were that the second half would follow similar pattern. Queen's were able to win an early corner with Harris heading wide from that corner.
At the other end Gary Harkins tried to inject some urgency into the Thistle performance but after a powerful run took him to within 30 yards of the Queen's goal his final shot was off target.
It was Queen's though that would score the game's next goal inflicting a huge blow to Thistle's chances not just in this game but for the remainder of the season. Steven Tosh had just come on for Sean O'Connor and his first touch was to curl a shot past a motionless Tuffey and into the corner of the net.
With things getting desperate Ian McCall introduced his second substitute in the 58th minute with Lucas Akins being sent on in place of Kevin McKinlay.
In the 65th minute Thistle made their final change of the afternoon with Ian Maxwell coming on for David Rowson.
A miserable afternoon nearly got worse with 13 minutes remaining. Jonny Tuffey producing a fine stop to deny Barry Wilson. Wilson feeling that he was fouled as he attempted to latch onto the loose ball that followed.
