Match Report
Going into this fixture our record against Airdrie United was perfect four wins from four. Aiming to make if a fifth success against Airdrie this season Ian McCall welcomed Paddy Boyle, returned from his month loan at Clyde, back into the side. There were also starts for Chris Erskine and Mark Corcoran which at the very least provided the promise of entertainment. On the bench there was a place for 18 year old Kieran Burns, in fine goal scoring form for the under 19s this season, for the very first time.
Thistle were by far the livelier side in the opening exchanges. Chris Erskine had posed the Airdrie defence a whole host of problems on our last visit to Airdrie and he looked keen to inflict further damage this time as well. With barely 90 seconds on the clock he earned Thistle their first corner of the afternoon. Corcoran's corner was able to pick out stand in captain John Robertson but the ball was a little behind the defender and he wasn't able to keep his final shot down.
Still Thistle continued to do the early running. A decent Erskine cross produced a confident clutch from Robertson in the Airdrie goal and a Buchanan shot wide of goal drew applause from the Thistle fans.
Clear cut chances though were few and far between despite Thistle's early dominance. Thistle being restricted by and large to efforts from in and around the edge of the Airdrie penalty box. A Marck Corcoran shot curled just too late to make Robertson work although Liam Buchanan did force the Airdrie keeper into a save with a low drive in the 14th minute.
In the 19th minute there were loud Thistle shouts for a penalty when a Corcoran cross struck an Airdrie defender. Although it looked for a split second as if referee McLean would point to the spot Thistle were not to get what would have been only their second penalty of the league season.
While Thistle continued to do the bulk of the pressing they were nearly caught on the break in the 29th minute. Airdrie's best player Scott Gemmill was able to break with the ball and when he squared the ball to former Thistle trialist O'Carroll the Thistle goal was under threat. O'Carroll though lost his balance and could only send the ball harmlessly out of play.
Jonny Tuffey though did have a save to make after 38 minutes. Ryan McCall brought the ball out of midfield before testing Tuffey from long range. The Thistle keeper though made sure his body was firmly behind the ball and he completed a comfortable save.
Thistle meantime were continuing to struggle to get any meaningful ball into the Airdrie penalty area. Indeed Thistle's final effort of a first half that was hardly a great advert for First Division football was another shot from the edge of the box. A neat passing move gave David Rowson an opportunity to shoot for goal but he got his effort all wrong and the ball trickled wide of the post which kind of summed up the first 45 minutes.
Thistle were nearly in front just seconds after the restart. Stephen McKeown nodded the ball onto Liam Buchanan who saw his shot turned round the post by Stephen Robertson. Seconds later the same player was just an inch or so away from making the contact with a cross from the left that would surely have brought a Thistle goal.
Thistle were close again to an opening goal in the 53rd minute. Paddy Boyle's left wing cross picked out Liam Buchanan at the back post but Buchanan's effort went across the face of the goal rather than into the back of the net.
Thistle really should have been in front on the hour mark. Simon Donnelly's pass found Liam Buchanan in space and when Buchanan ended on the ground it wasn't a difficult decision for referee McLean to award a penalty. It was Liam himself who took the kick and if he had missed a penalty in Thistle colours this writer can't recall it. He missed this one though, sending Robertson the wrong way but the ball wide of the post.
In the 69th minute it was Airdrie's turn to miss a glorious chance to take the lead. Scott Gemmill heading over from no more than a few yards out.
The game finally had a goal in the 71st minute. It was Airdrie's turn to have a penalty when John Robertson brought down Scott Gemmill and Paul Lovering tucked the penalty away with ease.
There was worse to follow 2 minutes later when Airdrie were able to extend their lead. Alan Trouten cut inside and although Tuffey was able to save McLaughlin gathered the ball at the edge of the box and sent a shot into the corner of the box.
It was nearly 3-0 in the 77th minute but Tuffey was able to push away a McLaughlin effort.
In the 85th minute Thistle were close to at least making the closing stages interesting. Mark Corcoran saw a shot well saved but not held by Robertson. Sub Burns collected the loose ball and was only denied a debut goal by a goal line clearance by Simon Storey.
Salt was nearly rubbed into gapping Thistle wounds in the 89th minute when a well offside looking Baird smacked a shot against the Thistle post.
