Match Report
After the disappointment of defeat against Airdrie United in the Challenge Cup it was hardly a surprise that manager Ian McCall elected to make changes as Thistle attempted to prise maximum points away from Dunfermline at East End Park for the first time in 25 years.
Both Jonny Tuffey and Gary Harkins, Tuffey on international duty and Harkins suspended, missed the fixture against Airdrie United and they returned to the starting eleven for this fixture.
Elsewhere Paul Paton and Scott Chaplain, both subs against Airdrie United, took up the berths from the start while Kevin McKinlay was given the opportunity to impress up front alongside Simon Donnelly.
In blustery conditions it was the home side that started the better of the two teams but it was Thistle that had the game’s first shot on goal although Marc Twaddle’s 10th minute effort was a wild one and didn’t threaten Paul Gallacher’s goal.
Kevin McKinlay went a little closer though in Thistle’s next attack when his glancing header from an Ian Maxwell cross slipping just the wrong, for Thistle, side of the post.
It was Dunfermline though that continued to carry the greater threat and their dominance in midfield allowed Nicky Phinn to create a chance for himself but his shot from the edge of the box was deflected away from the Thistle goal for a Dunfermline corner. When that corner wasn’t cleared effectively the ball dropped to Alex Burke but from the corner of the box his shot was off target and Tuffey was able to watch the ball go wide.
Dunfermline again threatened the Thistle goal in the 19th minute. Phinn was again at the heart of the move pushing the ball through to top scorer Kirk whose shot was deflected wide for a corner. Greg Shields was able to get his head to that corner but thankfully, from a Thistle perspective, was off target.
In the 25th minute Gallacher had to do well to tip away a dangerous looking Ian Maxwell cross before Gary Harkins got into the act, wriggling clear of the attentions of a couple of Dunfermline players before drilling a shot against the body of a Dunfermline defender and raising Thistle hopes into the bargain.
Harkins was again a threat to the home defence in the 28th minute. Neat skill at the edge of the box gave him the chance to deliver a cross to the back post but Marc Twaddle, stretching to reach the ball, was only able to nod wide of goal.
In the 36th minute Dunfermline took the lead that their play up till that point had probably merited. Phinn had been a danger to Thistle throughout and he was the goal creator squaring the ball for Andy Kirk to knock the ball home from inside the six yard box.
Dunfermline came close to a second goal in the 38th minute. At the edge of the Thistle box Kevin Harper was able to direct a pass in the direction of Graham Bayne whose powerful shot just lacked accuracy.
It would have been 2-0 two minutes later had it not been for Thistle keeper Jonny Tuffey. Kevin Harper curled a shot goal wards that look destined for the back of the Thistle net only for Tuffey to stick out a hand and direct the ball round the post for a corner kick.
The best Thistle could offer before half-time was a tame Kevin McKinlay header from a Paul Paton cross.
While the manager would have unquestionably have had a few thoughts to share with his players at the break he resisted the temptation to make any immediate changes.
Nor was there any immediate improvement in the Thistle performance. In the first action of the second 45 minutes Kevin Harper sent a shot sent a shot from the edge of the Thistle box wide of target after the ball had been knocked down into his path by Andy Kirk.
Jonny Tuffey was nearly caught out by a Stephen Glass cross that caught in the wind in the 49th minute as Dunfermline started the second half in determined fashion.
A swirling corner from Paul Paton just evaded the attentions of both Ian Maxwell and Sc ott Chaplain at the back post to offer something in the way of hope to Thistle.
In the 52nd minute Thistle very nearly had something more than hope. A surging Marc Twaddle run took him into the Dunfermline box and his cut back found Simon Donnelly who would have been frustrated to see his shot from 10 yards out blocked by a Dunfermline defender.
Ten minutes into the second half Ian McCall made his first change of the afternoon with Liam Buchanan coming on for Scott Chaplain joining Kevin McKinlay up front in a move that saw Simon Donnelly drop into the Thistle midfield.
Before Buchanan had a chance to get into the game Dunfermline were close to extending their lead. It took an excellent tackle from John Robertson to deny Andy Kirk a scoring opportunity just as he was set to shoot. The Thistle goal received another escape seconds later when a Calum Woods header smacked against the Thistle crossbar.
Thistle were more of a threat themselves in the second half and perseverance from Kevin McKinlay earned Thistle a corner in the 59th minute as Thistle started to exert some pressure on the Dunfermline goal.
In the 62nd minute Thistle were denied an equaliser by the fingertips of Dunfermline goalkeeper Gallacher. Gary Harkins pushed the ball through to Simon Donnelly who in turn threaded a pass into the path of Kevin McKinlay. McKinlay’s shot from the corner of the box looked destined for the corner of the net only for Gallacher at full stretch to save.
Chasing a long clearance from Jonny Tuffey in the 70th minute Liam Buchanan was able to get in behind the Dunfermline defence with his cut back cleared for a corner as the home side started to grow anxious.
With 15 minutes remaining Thistle introduced their second substitute with Simon Donnelly making way for Stephen McKeown.
Thistle really should have been punished for defensive negligence in the 83rd minute but when the ball broke to him at the edge of the box sub Simon Wiles sent a shot high over the bar.
Just 6 minutes remained when Thistle made their final change of the afternoon, Steven Lennon replacing Gary Harkins.
Any doubt of the destination of the points could have been removed in the 87th minute. Stephen Glass was able to turn Simon Storey but found Jonny Tuffey a tougher proposition to get the ball past.
When Liam Buchanan was floored by a Dunfermline striker directly in front of goal 20 yards out and didn’t receive a free kick for his pains it was clear that their was no way back into this game a Paul Paton cross drifting harmlessly out of play confirming Thistle’s fate.
Liam Buchanan still had time to fire over a cross that Gallacher was glad to grab hold off deep into injury time as the home fans whistled desperately for full-time.
An improved Thistle second half performance, however, wasn’t enough to secure Thistle a point.
