Match Report
After passing a morning fitness test Paul Cairney was able to take up his usual place in the Thistle midfield for the visit of Airdrie United to Firhill. John Robertson, another victim of the virus last weekend, was however unable to take part in the game with Willie Kinniburgh drafted in to replace Robertson. Chris Erskine was given a start ahead of Mark Corcoran as Thistle were otherwise unchanged from the team that defeated Inverness 3-2.
There was little between the two teams in the opening ten minutes. Thistle started brightly and in the first minute Paul Cairney was just unable stretch far enough to connect with a Simon Donnelly cross while at the other end John Baird shot wide of Tuffey's left hand post.
In the 12th minute Alan Archibald needed to be alert to clear a Baird cross from inside his own six yard box as Airdrie won the game's first corner.
It took until he 40th minute for either side to manage a shot on target. Liam Buchanan collected a Simon Donnelly through ball and although Buchanan was forced wide he was still able to force Robertson into making a save at his near post.
An otherwise fairly subdued first half erupted in controversy with the half-time whistle just three minutes away. Tom Parratt had been extremely fortunate not to be booked at least for a foul on Paul Paton after his 15 minutes. His team mate Scott McLaughlin was not so fortunate, however, with a late challenge on the same player that looked initially no worse than Parratt's although there is a strong suggestion that McLaughlin led with his arm. Referee Muir certainly felt it was worthy of a red card.
The ordering off was a signal for Thistle to press for an opening goal before half-time. Liam Buchanan was just beaten to a through ball from Paul Cairney by Airdrie United's Bobby Donnelly. The two Thistle players combined again in Thistle's next attack but Cairney's pass was just a little behind Buchanan and although he managed a shot on target it required no more than a routine save from Robertson.
An action packed last three minutes notwithstanding this had been a poor first half with the overhead conditions not helping any.
It took Thistle just seven second half minutes to open the scoring with a well as a constructed goal as you are likely to see. A minute earlier Bryan Hodge had tested Stephen Robertson was a free kick low at his near post. This time Robertson had no chance as after a fine passing moving split open the Airdrie United defence Hodge shot high into the net.
Thistle were close to a second goal in the 63rd minute. A flick from Simon Donnelly played in Paul Cairney whose pass to Liam Buchanan was just behind his team mate. Buchanan though was able to find Donnelly whose shot was blocked at the expense of a corner.
The chances were starting to come for Thistle at this stage and a Liam Buchanan shot after the ball had been pushed into his path by David Rowson hit the side netting.
Thistle though would take a major step towards three points in the 67th minute. Mark Corcoran had only been on for a few minutes when he squared the ball to Simon Donnelly who lashed the ball past Robertson and into the back of the net.
Donnelly himself was replaced by Kris Doolan in the 71st minute and left the pitch to a warm ovation from the Thistle fans.
A third goal would have made the points absolutely save and Paul Cairney nearly scored the goal that his performance deserved with just 6 minutes remaining but his effort just slipped the wrong side of the post.
Kris Doolan was next to come close to a third Thistle goal but after collecting a neat pass from Paul Paton he saw his shot pushed round the post for a corner kick.
In injury time Corcoran became the latest Thistle player to be denied a goal when Robertson made a goal line save.
There were few complaints though at the full-time whistle with Thistle going top of the league.
