Match Report
Facing a very much in form Airdrie United manager Ian McCall made just one change from the side that had drawn 2-2 in a highly entertaining fixture with Queen of the South the week before. Simon Donnelly was restored to the starting eleven with Stephen McKeown dropping to the bench. Doubt had surrounded the level of Liam Buchanan's involvement in this fixture but the Thistle striker wore his familiar number 9 jersey partnering Kris Doolan, a scorer 7 days earlier, up front. In Marc Smyth, Paul Di Giacomo and Simon Lynch there were some familiar names in the home side's line up with their new signing John Baird listed among the Airdrie United subs.
Thistle were nearly in front inside the game's first minute. Kris Doolan seized upon a defensive error and crossed for Liam Buchanan who was thwarted by a diving save from the home keeper Robertson. From the corner that followed Alan Archibald was able to climb unchallenged above the Airdrie United defence but his header was a poor one and a gilt edged chance was missed.
At the other end Di Giacomo was able to get on the end of a Hazley cross but could only direct his header wide as the game had a frantic opening.
The chances were coming a fair rate in the opening minutes and Gary Harkins cut the ball back for Doolan who was unable to get either power or direction on his shot and Robertson saved easily.
Thistle were able to fashion another opportunity in the 10th minute. A clever through ball from Liam Buchanan picked out David Rowson's forward run but Rowson, without a goal in his second spell as a Thistle player, was unable to make contact with the ball.
In the 14th minute Thistle were again guilty of missing an excellent chance to open the scoring. Liam Buchanan was able to pressure full back Hazley into an error but when left with Robertson to beat albeit from an angle, his shot was wild and off target.
Thistle were looking impressive in this opening quarter of the game and an excellent cross field pass from Paul Paton were nearly picked out Kris Doolan.
Thistle were close again to an opening goal in the 28th minute. Marc Twaddle was able to head a free kick into the path of Kris Doolan but although Doolan was able to react quickly and get his own head to the ball he couldn't direct his header away from the Airdrie United keeper.
Di Giacomo's early chance aside Airdrie United had offered little threat but Kevin McDonald wasn't too far off target with a shot from 25 yards in the 38th minute.
The home side seemed to take heart from that and after being set up by McDougall Di Giacomo forced Tuffey into his first save of the afternoon, albeit one of a fairly routine nature.
Half-time was just a couple of minutes away when Thistle finally took the lead that their play had merited. Marc Twaddle swung across a cross from the left hand side and Liam Buchanan was on hand, as any good striker should be, inside the six yard box to net his 5th goal of the season.
It had been a low key start to the second half but Airdrie United nearly tied the scores in the 53rd minute. Marc Smyth picked out Joe Cardle with a long ball forward and when Cardle was able to side step past Paul Paton he was left with Tuffey to beat. Tuffey though was able to get just enough of a touch on the ball to turn it round the post for a corner kick when most people expected to see the ball nestle in the corner of the net.
As Thistle struggled to reproduce their form of the first half there was real anxiety inside the Thistle box in the 59th minute with Jonny Tuffey having to improvise to kick clear from almost right on his own goal line.
Airdrie United should really have been level in the 63rd minute. The Thistle defence seemed to stand still when the ball was pushed through to Paul Di Giacomo who saw his shot shave the outside of the post.
It was perhaps due to Airdrie Unit ed's dominance at this point that Thistle made their first change with Stephen McKeown coming on in place of Gary Harkins.
In the 71st minute Thistle introduced their second sub of the afternoon with Kevin McKinlay coming on for Simon Donnelly who was given a warm reception from the Thistle fans.
While Thistle's chances were more isolated than they had been in the first half Liam Buchanan did come close to extending Thistle's lead in the 75th minute. Liam was able to get his head to a Stephen McKeown corner and he was a little unfortunate to see that header go straight into the arms of Stephen Robertson.
That was Buchanan's last involvement in the game being replaced a short time later by Scott Chaplain.
Airdrie United were pilling bodies forward in search of an equaliser while at the same time leaving themselves vulnerable to the counter attack and in one such counter attack Kevin McKinlay was able to break forward before seeing his drift wide of goal.
The same player should have removed any doubt over the destination of the points in the 88th minute. Ignoring Kris Doolan to his left McKinlay did well to leave himself with just Robertson to beat but he sent his shot high over the bar.
McKinlay was well and truly in the thick of things at this point and he saw a long range shot touched round the post for a corner and Thistle looked to seal what would be a hard fought win.
We had nearly three minutes of injury time before referee McDonald's whistle sounded on Thistle's third league win of the season against Airdrie United.
