Match Report
The competitive action started with a Challenge Cup tie against Glasgow neighbours Queen’s Park. Manager Ian McCall’s team selection included Paul Paton and Ian Maxwell who made their full Thistle debuts. Making his debut second time around was Damon Gray who once again joined Thistle on loan.
It was the Second Division side that had the game’s first shot on goal when Jack Henry tried his luck from 20 yards but his effort always looked on the high side and Jonny Tuffey wasn’t required to make a save.
Mark Roberts was the first Thistle player to have a shot on goal but his effort from an angle in the 6th minute just lacked a little direction.
Thistle though had their first goal in the 7th minute. A Marc Twaddle cross from the left hand side found Paul Paton lurking at the edge of the box. There were a couple attempts to either aplly a finish to cross his cross or clear the ball before Damon Gray seized hold of the ball to score his first goal of his second spell as a Thistle player.
Two minutes later the Thistle lead was doubled. Gary Harkins was the creator with a surging run through the Queen’s Park midfield. His perfectly placed pass was right into the path of Mark Roberts who made no mistake with a well placed finish.
A rapid response was required from Queen’s Park and Ryan Homs was only just too high with a shot from the edge of the box. It was Thistle though that looked the greater threat and Paul Paton fired a shot over the bar as Thistle looked for a third goal inside the game’s opening 15 minutes.
The game’s next goal was at the other end. A well worked free kick in the 18th minute caught the Thistle defence out and after the ball rebounded off Jonny Tuffey’s post the ball broke into the path of Jack henry who buried a shot low into the corner of the Thistle net.
Thistle came close to immediately restoring their two goal advantage when Scott Chaplain sent a shot from the edge of the box inches over Cowie’s bar.
Thistle were still producing some nice football and Ian Maxwell joined in on the act but his long distance effort never looked like making Cowie work.
Thistle really should have had their third goal in the 27th minute. A chipped pass from Gary Harkins picked out Damon Gray. Damon was able to get the ball round the Queen’s keeper but lost his balance. He was, however, able to square the ball to Scott Chaplain who was denied his first goal of the season by a goal line clearance. He may feel though that it had been a real opportunity lost.
In the 32nd minute John Robertson sent Damon Gray clear down the right hand side and Gray’s cross looked destined for the head of Mark Roberts only for the Queen ’s defence to clear the ball just as a third Thistle goal looked likely.
Gary Harkins earned the first booking of the season in the 35th minute although it did look a little harsh.
In the 39th minute Marc Twaddle was able to get on the end of a Damon Gray cross but was never likely to manage to direct his shot on target and his shot went both high and wide of the Queen’s Park goal.
Damon Gray was a constant menace to the Queen’s Park defence and in the 40th minute his cross from the right picked out Mark Roberts who had just strayed offside. Roberts in any case knocking his shot wide of goal.
Roberts again strayed into an offside position after Gary Harkins and Scott Chaplain had unlocked the Queen’s Park defence in what proved to be the last action of what had been an entertaining first half.
Thistle started the second half much as they had finished the first with Gray again a threat setting up David Rowson who saw his shot saved.
Ian Maxwell was the next to come close for Thistle when in the 55th minute he saw his header cleared off the line.
Thistle could have done with a third goal and there was a glimpse of a chance when an Ian Maxwell throw was flicked on by Marc Twaddle for Damon Gray but Gray’s header was always drifting wide of goal.
Queen’s Park were reduced to ten men in the 66th minute when Richard Sinclair, booked in the first half for a foul on Mark Roberts, picked up a second yellow card for a crude challenge on Ian Maxwell.
As Thistle tried to make use of their man advantage a David Rowson cross just drifted away from Damon Gray.
After an entertaining first half the second 45 minutes never really took off with Thistle in control but not carrying as much threat as they had done in the first 45 minutes. Substitute Kevin McKinlay did work an opening for himself but his final shot was straight at the visiting keeper.
Thistle had been in almost total control of this game in the second period but there was a still a brief moment of anxiety when ex Jag Robert Dunn sent a shot over the bar from the edge of the Thistle penalty box.
