Match Preview
After the disappointment of defeat last Saturday against Raith Rovers tomorrow afternoon provides Thistle with the opportunity to get back to winning games with a trip to Greenock to face Morton, who recently confirmed the appointment of former Thistle player James Grady as their manager until the end of the season at least. Although Grady had been fulfilling that role since the departure of Davie Irons tomorrow's game will be Morton's first home game since being given the job on a permanent basis. Although of which means that a fixture that is invariably a very touch one for Thistle will be just that little bit harder.
There has been plenty of activity down Cappielow way but it hasn't exactly been quiet at Firhill either. Clearance has now been received for Stevie Lovell and the arrival on loan from Kilmarnock of Jamie Adams means that there will be two new faces in the Thistle squad tomorrow. Whether they will feature tomorrow is a decision that will be made by manager Ian McCall and after training yesterday he was able to provide www.ptfc.co.uk with a little insight into his thinking ahead of tomorrow's game.
"There have been a few players not feeling 100% this week and few others carrying minor knocks but I will have a full squad to select from ahead of Saturday's game. Having a full squad which includes the two new boys makes the team selection for tomorrow's game a difficult decision but for the best of reasons."
"We played a bounce game with Falkirk during the week during which Stevie Lovell did his chances of a place in the team no harm at all by scoring both goals in a 2-1. We need to be mindful of the fact though that Stevie hasn't played much football recently and neither has Jamie Adams who is just three games into his comeback after a lengthy period out injured. It could be that this game comes just a little too early for either of them to start. Then again perhaps not. I will make a final decision a little nearer the time. Although we didn't play well against Raith Rovers last weekend the players have by and large been excellent this season and that is something that I need to acknowledge when I select my team for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow's match will unquestionably be a very tough one. Morton have had a few disappointing results recently but they are sure to be up for this game. They are a big side and matches with them are usually quite physical and I don't expect this game to be any different. There is a little extra edge to the game with James Grady and Allan McManus, two individuals that I know well, recently confirmed as manager and assistant manager until the end of the season. That doesn't make the game any easier but we know that providing we play as we can that this is a game that we are capable of winning."
Partick Thistle Stats
Current Form - Last Five Games
W D L F A
2 1 2 7 6
Scorers Season 2009/2010
Liam Buchanan 10
Simon Donnelly 6
Paul Cairney 3
Mark Corcoran 3
Chris Erskine 3
Kris Doolan 2
Bryan Hodge 2
Jim Hamilton 2
Alan Archibald 1
David Rowson 1
Last Game
Saturday October 31st 2009
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Partick Thistle 1, Raith Rovers 2
Morton Stats
Current Form - Last Five Games
W D L F A
1 0 4 5 11
Scorers season 2009/2010
Peter Weatherson 5
Brian Graham 2
Allan Jenkins 2
Ryan McGuffie 2
Steven Masterton 1
Neil MacFarlane 1
Erik Paartalu 1
Last Game
Saturday October 31st 2009
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4, Morton 1
Last Meeting
Saturday August 29th 2009
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Partick Thistle 5, Morton 0
Teams
Thistle: Tuffey, Paton, Boyle, Maxwell, Robertson, Archibald, Cairney (McKeown), Rowson, Buchanan, Erskine, Corcoran (Donnelly).
Morton: McWilliams, McGuffie, Harding, McManus, Greacen, MacFarlane, Finlayson, Jenkins, Graham, Weatherson, McAlister.
Scorers
Thistle: Buchanan (25, 80), Corcoran (36, 39), Cairney (66)
Crowd: 2,986
Match Details
Saturday November 7th 2009
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Morton v Partick Thistle
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Prices
Adult £15
Concessions (Senior Citizens, Students, Unemployed, Full Time Education) £10
Under-12s Free
Parent and Child (child over 12 but under 16) £18
Programmes £2
The Thistle fans will be situated in the Main Stand at Cappielow Park.
Travel
By Supporters Bus
By Car
Car parking is available adjacent to the ground.
By Bus
Services from Glasgow stop just outside the park. There are also services from Port Glasgow and Gourock.
By Train
The nearest local station is Cartsdyke and is a five minute walk from the ground. There are two to three trains every hour from Glasgow and from Gourock.
Other First Division Fixtures
Ayr United v Queen of the South
Dundee v Airdrie United
Raith Rovers v Dunfermline Athletic
Ross County v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Match Officials
Referee: George Salmond
Assistant Referees: Alan Cunningham and James Burns
