Match Report
Manager Ian McCall made four changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Clyde at Broadwood. Paul Paton, Steven Lennon, Scott Chaplain and Simon Donnelly all dropped out of the side. In their place came Willie Kinniburgh, Stephen McKeown, Damon Gray and Mark Roberts.
Thistle's Mark Roberts was the first player to manage a shot on goal. In the 6th minute he wriggled clear of a couple of Morton challenges but his final shot from the edge of the box was always on the rise.
Thistle had a half chance again in the 9th minute. Ian Maxwell swung a cross over from the right hand side, Willie Kinniburgh headed the ball back across goal but the ball dropped just behind Marc Twaddle.
Another half chance came Thistle's way two minutes later. Gary Harkins enjoyed the break of the ball on the left hand side and this time it was his cross that just dropped behind the Thistle players lurking inside the Morton box.
Morton had offered little up to this point but on the quarter hour mark Erik Paatalu advanced into the Thistle box to glance a header wide of Jonny Tuffey's left hand post.
Morton were beginning to have the better of a scrappy affair and in the 30th minute Paartalu saw a shot from 25 yards creep wide of Tuffey's right hand post.
While Thistle hadn't been anywhere near their best they did take a 36th minute lead. Mark Roberts crossed from the Thistle left and Gary Harkins climbed above the Morton to defence to head home from inside the Morton six yard box.
With five minutes to go before half-time Thistle nearly extended their advantage in spectacular fashion. Scorer of two goals already this season Ian Maxwell tried his luck from fully 35 yards and was only denied a sensational third goal of the season by a finger tip save from Kevin Cuthbert.
The scores were tied once more though in the 43rd minute. Ian Russell gathered the ball in space inside the Thistle box, ignored appeals for offside before firing high into the back of the net.
Thistle started the second half with Simon Donnelly on for Damon Gray.
David Rowson dragged a shot wide of goal in the opening exchanges of the second half as Thistle looked to improve upon a disappointing first half showing.
Neither team were making much impression though Kevin Finlayson did force Jonny Tuffey into a save, albeit an easy one, on the hour mark.
In the 63rd minute Ian McCall turned to his substitute bench for the second time when Scott Chaplain came on in place of Gary Harkins.
A deflected Simon Donnelly shot in the 65th minute produced a Thistle corner and from Stephen McKeown's corner that followed Ian Maxwell was able to bundle the ball home from a about a yard out.
Thistle nearly found themselves pegged back again just 2 minutes after regaining the lead. So assured in front of goal in the first half this time Ian Russell got his shot badly wrong when he looked set to score.
Russell managed a shot on target in the 73rd minute but his shot went straight into the waiting arms of Jonny Tuffey.
Thistle made their final change with 15 minutes remaining. Kevin McKinlay coming on for Mark Roberts.
Morton were within a whisker of once more levelling the scores in the 76th minute. Substitute Stevie Masterton's first touch was a thundering free kick right on the edge of the box that Tuffey managed to turn round the post for a corner.
Stephen McKeown nearly eased the pressure as the game entered its' final minutes but after bursting through the heart of the Morton defence his shot went over the bar.
With the game in injury time Morton won a corner. Following Chaplain's clearance the ball broke to Steven Masterton and his drive was blocked by the packed ranks of the Thistle defence with frantic shouts, in hope as much as anything, for handball and a Morton penalty.
