Match Preview
After a hard fought win against Morton last weekend that helped put Thistle once more hot on the heels of league leaders St Johnstone The Jags are in action this weekend against Livingston.
In recent weeks Thistle haven't had their problems to seek in terms of injury but as manager Ian McCall revealed to www.ptfc.co.uk that isn't the case this weekend. The Thistle Gaffer declaring;
"Everyone is fit and available."
"That's not something that I have been able to say too often, if at all, this season. The statement has to be qualified a little in the sense that I have a number of players playing that while fit enough to play aren't 100% fit."
There is no doubting that this weekend is shaping up as a hugely important one.
"If we can win and if Dundee manage a win or even a draw against St Johnstone I might just start to think that we are capable of achieving a real miracle. I don't think that there can be too many teams that, like us, have a squad of just 17 players that have gone on and won promotion. That said there is no doubt that we face a very difficult challenge on Saturday. Our form away from Firhill has improved since the start of the year and we must look for that to continue. I'm of the firm belief though that when we play well that there is no better team in the First Division than Partick Thistle."
So with everyone fit and available what can we expect in terms of team selection against Livingston?
"It's good to have Lucas Akins available after he came through a reserve game during the week. Lucas is far from the finished article but he does give us a different option up front which is important. Whether he is involved against Livingston I'm not sure. We feel that in recent games both Kevin McKinlay and Simon Donnelly have done really well when they have come off the bench and it could be that you won't see too many changes for Saturday's game."
Livingston meantime will be without the services of centre back Chris Innes who starts a two game suspension at the weekend.
Thistle Stats
Current Form - Last Five Games
W D L F A
2 2 1 6 5
Scorers Season 2008/2009
Gary Harkins 8
Stephen McKeown 7
Liam Buchanan 6
Scott Chaplain 4
Damon Gray 4
Ian Maxwell 4
Kris Doolan 3
Simon Donnelly 2
Paul Paton 2
Kevin McKinlay 1
Mark Roberts 1
John Robertson 1
Chris Turner 1
Marc Twaddle 1
Own Goals 1
Last Game
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Partick Thistle 1, Morton 0
Livi Stats
Current Form - Last Five Games
W D L F A
1 1 3 &n bsp; 8 11
Scorers Season 2008/2009
Leigh Griffiths 12
Calum Elliot 11
Murray Davidson 4
Dave MacKay 3
Anthony McParland 3
Liam Fox 2
James McPake 2
Jean-Jose Cuenca 1
Joe Hamill 1
Chris Innes 1
Raffaele De Vita 1
Armand One 1
Rocco Quinn 1
Gordon Smith 1
Jason Talbot 1
David Winters 1
Own Goals 1
Last Game
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Dundee 4, Livingston 1
Last Meeting
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Partick Thistle 2, Livingston 1
Teams
Thistle: Tuffey, Paton, McKinlay, Storey, Kinniburgh, Maxwell, McKeown (Chaplain), Rowson, Buchanan (Lennon), Donnelly (Roberts), Harkins.
Livingston: Martini, MacKay, Talbot, McPake, Fox, Innes, McParland (Cuenca), Trialist (Hamill), Elliot, Quinn, Miller (Smith).
Scorers
Thistle: Buchanan (11), McKeown (43)
Livingston: MacKay (27)
Crowd: 2,416
Match Details
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Livingston v Partick Thistle
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Prices
Adults £16
Students £10
Concessions £7
Thistle fans attention is drawn to the fact that there is no public parking available in the Livingston Club Car Park tomorrow.
Other First Division Fixtures
Clyde v Queen of the South
Morton v Dunfermline Athletic
Ross County v Airdrie United
St Johnstone v Dundee
Match officials
Referee: Steven McLean
Assistant Referees: Willie Dishington and David McKenzie
