Match Preview
After starting the season with five straight victories Thistle take the road to Dumfries on Sunday looking to record an almost unprecedented sixth consecutive win at the start of the season. Only once before have Thistle started the season with six straight wins. In season 1975-1976 Thistle began the season with six successive wins in a League Cup campaign that would eventually take Thistle to a semi-final date against Celtic. Indeed only on one other occasion prior to this season, in season 1946/1947, have Thistle even managed to start the season with five straight victories.
To extend the run to a sixth victory Thistle will arguably have to produce their best performance of the season thus far to prise maximum points from a trip to Palmerston Park.
Manager Ian McCall was able to shuffle his pack slightly for Tuesday’s Challenge Cup win over Peterhead and chances are he will make changes again for Sunday’s fixture. Earlier this morning www.ptfc.co.uk caught up with the gaffer and he provided us with an insight into his thinking ahead of Sunday’s match.
“The good news is that Mark Roberts and Marc Twaddle both come back into the squad for the game on Sunday. Mark Roberts is back a little ahead of schedule perhaps as a result of coming off against Dunfermline as soon as he felt his injury. The fact that we can include him in the squad for Sunday is a big boost.”
There has been of late some speculation surrounding the future of Marc Twaddle but the manager was able to put to rest any rumours of a forthcoming departure.
“Marc Twaddle is going nowhere. We’ve had a few phone calls about him which is understandable but he is a very important player and we want him at Firhill for sometime yet.”
Just as there is speculation surrounding players going out so too is there speculation surrounding players coming in. Ian was able to bring www.ptfc.co.uk the bang up to date news on that front.
“I’m very close to making two signings although I’m not sure if I will have them in place in time for Sunday or not. I hope the Thistle fans appreciate that until any deal is done that we don’t give out the names but we are very close to adding them to the squad at Firhill.”
Before focusing on Sunday’s game the manager took a little time to reflect back on Tuesday’s game against Peterhead.
“I don’t think 6-1 would have flattered us and we created a lot of chances. To be fair we need to give Peterhead a lot of credit they were well organised and had a number of players that caused us problems. The only time I felt comfortable was when Stephen McKeown scored the fourth goal. The main thing though was to get through to the next round which we did.”
To finish Ian turned his thoughts to Sunday’s game at Queen of the South.
“It’s a real acid test for us. Palmerston Park is, I feel, just about the hardest place in the division to win at and if we can record a victory we can perhaps start to think that we are capable of competing in the top four this season. Myself and Gerry Britton watched queens in action on Thursday night and although we’ve had a couple of extra days rest I don’t think that will be a factor on Sunday. We’ve had to play two games that have gone to extra-time and both teams are bound to be a little tired on Sunday. It’s shaping up to be a cracker of a game though and we hope as many Thistle fans as possible make the trip.”
Queen of the South, after the excitement of last season, have made an indifferent start to their season. From their two league games played thus far they have gathered just a solitary point from an opening day goalless draw with Airdrie United. Last weekend they went down to a 2-1 defeat at Dunfermline despite leading at half-time through a Stewart Kean goal, Kean being in excellent form since moving from St Mirren in the summer. Th
e Queens cause wasn’t helped any by the late sending off of Andy Aitken who as a consequence of that red card will miss Sunday’s match.
Queen of the South’s only domestic success so far came in the Challenge Cup when Berwick Rangers were brushed aside to the tune of 5-1.
On Thursday night Queen of the South started their European adventure with the first leg of the UEFA Cup Second Qualifying tie against FC Nordsjaelland and they look set to have their work cut out if they hope to continue that adventure losing the first leg, at the home of Airdrie United, by two goals to one.
