Match Report
As you would expect pre-season manager Ian McCall made a number of changes for the visit to Dumbarton. Of those that didn't start against Stirling Albion there were starting berths this time for Ricky Little, Ian Maxwell, Paul Cairney, David Rowson, Jim Hamilton and Chris Erskine.
After a moving minute's applause in memory of Gordon Lennon Thistle kicked this game off in front of a sizeable turn out of Thistle fans.
Dumbarton were the first to threaten and in the 2nd minute Darren Gribben was able to take advantage of some slack Thistle play but his shot was too high and the chance was lost.
Thistle's first opportunity of the night arrived in the 8th minute. A long ball forward from Patrick Boyle picked out Liam Buchanan but Buchanan's finish was a poor one and McEwan in the Dumbarton goal wasn't called upon to make a save.
In the 14th minute it was Dumbarton's turn to come close and Jonny Tuffey was forced to turn a Ross Clark shot round the post for a corner. When that corner fell into the path of Darren Gribben he lashed the ball well wide of target.
Thistle response was a Chris Erskine shot after a Boyle cross has been cleared in his direction that the Thistle midfielder dragged wide of goal.
Thistle were denied an opening goal in the 23rd minute only by an excellent McEwan save. A Jim Hamilton ball into the box was headed into the bath of Liam Buchanan by Paul Cairney but the Dumbarton keeper was able to make an excellent blocking save.
Five minutes later it was Dumbarton's turn to miss a gilt edged chance. A quickly taken free kick down by the corner flag got Thistle on the hop and Ross Clark really should have done better than head Stevie Murray's cross over the bar.
Dumbarton were close again 8 minutes from half-time. Jim Hamilton failed to clear a cross from the Dumbarton left and Jonny Tuffey was forced to dive full length to keep out Gribben's fiercely driven shot.
We did though have a goal in the 40th minute and it was a Thistle goal. A Paul Paton free kick wide on the Thistle left fell into the path of John Robertson some six yards from goal and the Thistle defender knocked the ball into the net for a rare goal.
Thistle started the second half with Stephen McKeown and Alan Archibald on in place of Patrick Boyle and John Robertson.
Thistle were within a whisker of increasing their lead ten minutes into the second half. Chris Erskine was able to escape the attentions of the home defence with his final shot clipping the bar on its' way over.
In the 51st minute Thistle made their third change of the night with Martyn Corrigan replacing Paul Paton.
A minute later Thistle werr forced into making another change. Jim Hamilton went to ground following a an accidental kick to the head inside the Dumbarton box and as Hamilton went off to have a cut treated Kris Doolan was sent on his place.
In the 63rd minute Chris Erskine almost unlocked the Dumbarton defence and create a second goal but his cross was cleared for a corner before Liam Buchanan could apply the finish that would surely have resulted in a Thistle goal.
In the 67th minute Thistle introduced another substitute to the fray. Bryan Hodge coming on for Chris Erskine.
Chances were becoming rarer as the second half progressed but Thistle were a little unfortunate not to score a second goal in the 76th minute. Paul Cairney won possession in midfield before threading a pass through to Kris Doolan. Doolan's shot though went just marginally wide of the far post.
Liam Buchanan really should have scored a second goal and all but secured Thistle's win after 79 minutes but when presented with a free header in front of goal he was unable to hit target.
With Thistle looking by far the likelier side to find the game's next goal a David McEwan required two attempts t o hold onto a David Rowson shot before watching a Stephen McKeown shot go wide of goal although there was a strong suspicion that he had managed to get a touch on that effort as well.
Thistle did though have a second goal in the 86th minute. An Ian Maxwell shot was blocked only as far as a lurking Kris Doolan who knocked the ball past McEwan and into the net.
It could have been three a short time later only for Liam Buchanan to see his shot touched round the post for a corner kick.
