Match Report
Earlier in the week manager Ian McCall voiced his uncertainty over the team he would field for this Co-Operative Insurance First Round tie with Berwick Rangers. In the end there were debuts for Martyn Corrigan and Mark Corcoran and home debuts for Bryan Hodge and Paul Cairney.
The opening quarter of this fixture was fairly uneventful. A promising Thistle move ended with Paul Paton's cross only finding Mark Corcoran who had strayed offside.
There was promise again from Thistle in the 21st minute. A neat pass from Liam Buchanan found Stephen McKeown whose cross was cleared for a corner. From Paul Cairney's corner that followed Corcoran was able to get his head to the ball but his header drifted harmlessly off target.
Corcoran was involved in Thistle's next move. His pace was able to take him beyond the last Berwick defender and although he was able to shot towards goal Peat in the Berwick goal was able to get down to the ball and complete a decent save.
In the 30th minute Thistle took the lead. A Paul Paton cross fell at the feet of Bryan Hodge and his shot from the edge of the box flew past Peat and high into the Berwick net.
A second Thistle goal would have put Thistle very much in control and in the 39th minute Simon Donnelly tried to score that goal but his shot from 20 yards out was always on the rise and comfortably cleared the bar.
Thistle made a change at half-time with Chris Erskine replacing Mark Corcoran.
Erskine's first involvement in the action was to get his head to a Martyn Corrigan free kick but he was able to direct his header on target.
In the 49th minute Thistle doubled their lead. Liam Buchanan was able to gather the ball at the edge of the Berwick box, looked up sized up his options before rifling a shot high into the Berwick net.
Three minutes later 2-0 became 3-0. A Stephen McKeown shot from angle could only be pushed out by Peat and Chris Erskine was on hand to steer the ball into the empty net.
In the 59th minute Thistle made a double switch with Jim Hamilton and David Rowson replacing Bryan Hodge and Paul Cairney.
In the 65th minute Thistle were close to a 4th goal. Liam Buchanan was able to escape the attention of his marker in the box but when a goal looked likely a Berwick defender was able to block the ball at the expense of a corner.
With Thistle dominating more goals looked likely and Jim Hamilton was just beaten to a Corrigan cross by a Berwick defender.
The game's next goal though came the way of Berwick. In a rare attack sub Ian Little found himself in acres of space and with just Jonny Tuffey to beat he lifted the ball into the net.
Thistle very nearly restored their three goal advantage just a minute later. Liam Buchanan watching his shot blocked by the legs of Peat in the Berwick goal.
Thistle were again close to a fourth goal in the 75th minute. Chris Erskine played a delightful ball across the Berwick goal but a diving Liam Buchanan was unable to make contact with the ball when the slightest touch would have brought a goal. Buchanan was close once more when the ball was played back into the box, his header hitting the side netting.
As comfortable as Thistle's lead was Berwick were sticking to their task and in the 79th minute Jamie Ewart was close with a header from an Alan Brazil cross.
Thistle though wrapped up the win just two minutes later. A Jim Hamilton header looked destined for the net and would have but for the intervention of a Berwick hand. The penalty that followed was calmly slotted home by Liam Buchanan for his second of the afternoon and his third of the season.
It could have been 5-1 just a minute later but Peat was able to save Jim Hamilton's header.
Thistle did have a fifth in the 87th minute. Chris Erskine's touch from a Paul Paton cross was enough to take the ball beyond Peat and into the net.
