Match Report
The final Thistle selection of the saw Jonny Tuffey return in goal for what will likely be his last appearance, his 128th overall, as a Partick Thistle player. At the other end of his Thistle career is Ryan MacBeth and he made the first start of what we hope will be a long and successful Thistle career. Scorer of the winning goal last week, Marin Grehan, was also a starter for this match.
On a heavily watered but still firey Firhill surface the opening exchanges of this match were more than a little scrappy. Indeed not until the 20th minute when a Martyn Corrigan cross was headed behind did the game have a corner kick.
The game did, however, liven up considerably after that and for the next 25 minutes there was plenty of action if no goals in front of both goals.
Ryan MacBeth was beginning to make an impression and in the 23rd minute he was able to set up Simon Donnelly with a shooting opportunity at the edge of the box but he dragged his shot wide of goal.
Thistle had an ever better chance three minutes later. Chris Erskine slipped the ball through to Martin Grehan but Grehan scuffed his shot with the result that his shot went wide of goal.
At the other end a deflected O'Connor shot wrong footed Tuffey but cleared the bar but it was Thistle remained the more likely side to score and were close in the 28th minute when a MacBeth cross went just behind Martin Grehan. Thistle kept the pressure on and when the ball was delivered into the box Grehan did get his head to the ball but Hutton was able to grab the ball.
In the 31st minute Queens were close to taking the lead when O'Connor near stole in to divert a free kick into the net at the back post but was stretching and was unable to direct his effort goalwards.
Thistle really should have been in front in the 37th minute. A great run from Chris Erskine right along the goal line ended with him squaring the ball to Bryan Hodge. Hodge elected for placement rather than power and his effort was blocked.
Jonny Tuffey hadn't had a great deal to do but three minutes from the interval he made the save of the half when he dived full length to turn a McKenna effort round the post for a corner.
The first chance of the second half came the way of the visitors. Persistent play from Sean O'Connor gave him a half chance but he could only hook a shot over the bar after he had managed to muscle Ian Maxwell off the ball.
There was an even better chance for Queens a minute later. Just on as asub, and a frequent thorn in Thistle's side this season, David Weatherston looked set to score but Jonny Tuffey whipped the ball off his toes.
It continued to be Queen of the South that did the bulk of the early second half pressing and a Derek Holmes shot struck the outside of Tuffey's right hand post before going wide.
It took Thistle until the 62nd minute to have their first chance of the second half but that opportunity was somewhat wasted by Chris Erskine knocking his pass too far in front of Simon Donnelly.
Kris Doolan was introduced for Simon Donnelly a short time after that and his first serious involvement in the game was to nearly score the opening goal. Doolan turned and shot in one fluid movement but Hutton was able to get down and save.
With 13 minutes remaining Thistle were once more close to an opening goal. A nice move ended with a through ball from David Rowson leaving Chris Erskine one on one with the Queens keeper. Erskine was able to take the ball round Hutton but found the angle too tight and the chance was lost.
With ten minutes remaining it was the turn of Queen of the South to come close to scoring the game's first goal. Willie McLaren was able to side step the attentions of David Rowson before sending a shot only marginally wide of target.
With Queens still pressing Sean O'Connor did get his shot only target only to be thwarted by a splendid Tuffey save. From the corner that followed McAusland was able to get his head to the ball was unable to direct his effort on target.
With both teams trying to end the season with a win this game deserved a goal and we nearly had it in the 87th minute but Martin Grehan's shot just crawled wide of goal with Hutton scrambling.
With the 90 minutes all but over the ball nearly dropped to Kieran Burns right in front of goal before Ryan Conroy saw his shot blocked.
We were in the second minute of injury time when we did get the goal the game deserved and it was an absolute cracker. Kris Doolan curling the ball home from the corner of the box.
