Match Report
After a good performance but no goals and just one point at Dundee Ian McCall made two changes ahead of this fixture with Ross County. Despite hinting that he may start on the bench Alan Archibald came into replace Willie Kinniburgh while up front Simon Donnelly was preferred to Mark Roberts who dropped to the bench where he was joined by Craig Hinchcliffe, Willie Kinniburgh, Scott Chaplain and a fit again Stephen McKeown.
County had already defeated Thistle twice this season and they were the first to threaten in this game as well with a dangerous free kick from Scott Morrison flying across goal.
Despite this being as low key an opening quarter as it was possible to be Marc Twaddle managed to pick up a yellow card in the 23rd minute after a mistimed tackle some 30 yards from goal. The free kick that followed was well off target but it was still the closest thing yet to a goal.
It was something of a surprise therefore when County, the livelier of the two sides up to this point, took the lead a minute later. Sean Higgins was able to latch onto a ball inside the Thistle box and his deft chip beat Jonny Tuffey for a well taken goal.
The loss of that goal did seem to shake the lethargy from Thistle's performance a little and Kevin McKinlay was able to create space for himself only to see his cross cleared by the County defence.
While Thistle were still well below their best hopes were raised in the 32nd minute when Liam Buchanan was able to gather a McKinlay cross but he found the angle too tight and was able to direct his shot on target.
In the 36th minute a lovely through ball from David Rowson looked to have presented Liam Buchanan with a great chance to tie the scores only for a raised flag for offside to be met with howls of frustration from the Thistle fans in the Jackie Husband Stand.
With two minutes till half-time Thistle came the closest yet to restoring equality in the game. Liam Buchanan's header from a Simon Donnelly assist clipping the top of the bar on the way over.
Despite a below par first half performance manager Ian McCall resisted the temptation to make any changes at the break.
Six minutes into the second half Thistle had their first corner of the game quickly followed by a second corner from which Marc Twaddle nodded Paul Paton's flag kick over the bar.
Thistle though were still struggling to make an impression against a well organised Ross County defence and Thistle's frustration was clear to see when Marc Twaddle lashed an ambitious shot well wide of goal after 57 minutes.
A change was clearly required and in the 58th minute Stephen McKeown was sent on in place of Simon Storey.
A second substitution followed five minutes later with Mark Roberts replacing Simon Donnelly.
With Thistle struggling to get back into the game frustration grew when a surging run from Kevin McKinlay run and pass to Mark Roberts was halted by a contentious offside decision.
With twenty minutes remaining Ian McCall turned to his bench for the final time when Scott Chaplain came on for David Rowson.
An already difficult task took an the air of impossible when Twaddle, booked in the first half, saw red for a late challenge on Adam Strachan in one decision that there was little complaint over.
Any little doubt over the destination of the points was removed in the 84th minute. Sean Higgins was able to get to a through ball ahead of Jonny Tuffey and was left with the easiest of finishes to round off a thoroughly miserable afternoon for Thistle.
Late efforts from Kevin McKinlay and Stephen McKeown that went wide of goal only served to emphasise the fact that Thistle managed not a single shot on target in the whole
