Match Preview
Having managed to record an overdue, and most welcome, victory against Airdrie United last weekend our season tomorrow takes us to Dens Park, Dundee to face the overwhelming pre-season title favourites for the third time this season. No Thistle supporter really needs reminding that we didn't enjoy the best of fortunes in our two previous meetings with Dundee this season. Two excellent Thistle performances, especially at Dens Park in October, resulting in two scarcely deserved 2-0 defeats.
With that in mind nobody in red and yellow, not least manager Ian McCall, will be bothering too much should Thistle's performance tomorrow not reach the heights of those two previous matches but result in an away win all the same.
Said the Thistle manager Ian McCall when he spoke to www.ptfc.co.uk;
"I wouldn't go as far as to say that a victory tomorrow no matter the performance would give me greater satisfaction than our two previous performances against Dundee because I always want to see us play well no matter what. That said we do all feel that we owe Dundee something after the last two games against them. Some of our best football this season has been produced against Dundee and I know that one of the players was speaking to the Dundee Assistant Manager during the week and he said that the best team that Dundee have played this season has been ourselves. It's points not plaudits though that we want on Saturday. Victory at Dens Park would take us back to within six points of Dundee with the same number of games played and I think that would put us right back in it."
Thistle go into tomorrow's fixture virtually at full strength.
"In terms of injuries only Craig Hinchcliffe isn't fit enough to take up a position in the squad and it's a case of now of deciding upon not just the team but the shape of the side as well. Stephen McKeown played 70 minutes of a reserve game with Stranraer during the week and he did very well. Although tomorrow's game might come just a little too soon for him he will be part of the travelling party. We will, however, be without David Rowson through suspension. David has been an excellent player for me this season and his absence is unquestionably a blow to us but we are approaching tomorrow's game in a very positive frame of mind."
The manager's own two game touchline ban will end at full-time tomorrow although it should be stressed that although banned from the touchline he isn't precluded from entering the Thistle dressing room at any time.
Thistle Stats
Current Form - Last Five Games
W D L F A
1 0 4 4 9
Scorers Season 2009/2010
Liam Buchanan 12
Paul Cairney 8
Simon Donnelly 8
Mark Corcoran 4
Chris Erskine 3
Steve Lovell 3
Jamie Adams 2
Kris Doolan 2
Bryan Hodge 2
Jim Hamilton 2
Alan Archibald 1
Paul Paton 1
David Rowson 1
Last Game
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday February 13th 2010
Partick Thistle 2, Airdrie United 0
Dundee Stats
Current Form - Last Five Games
W D L F A
3 1 1 7 5
Last Game
The Active Nation Scottish Cup Fifth Round
Saturday February 6th 2010
Dundee 2, Ayr United 1
Scorers Season 2009/2010
Leigh Griffiths 18
Gary Harkins 14
Sean Higgins 5
Craig Forsyth 5
Colin McMenamin 6
Mickael Antoine-Curier 3
Eddie Malone 2
Colin Cameron 1
Pat Clarke 1
Ben Hutchinson 1
Gary MacKenzie 1
Own Goal 1
Last Meeting
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday December 5th 2009
Partick Thistle 0, Dundee 2
Teams
Thistle: Tuffey, Adams, Archibald, McKeown (Corrigan), Robertson, Maxwell, Cairney (Erskine), Rowson, Lovell, Donnelly (Doolan), Corcoran.
Dundee: Douglas, Paton, Malone, Kerr, MacKenzie, Lauchlan, Forsyth, Hart (Cameron), Young (Clarke), McMenamin, Harkins (Casement).
Scorers
Dundee: McMenamin (44), Harkins (47)
Crowd: 4,453
Match Details
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday February 20th 2010
Dundee v Partick Thistle
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Prices
Adults £17
Concessions £10
Travel
By Supporters Bus
By Car
Cars may be parked in the car park (Densfield Park) and local streets adjacent to the ground.
By Bus
There is a frequent service of buses from the city centre. Nos. 1A and 1B leave from Albert Square and Nos. 18, 19 and 21 leave from Commercial Street.
By Train
Trains from all over the country pass through the mainline Dundee station and fans can then proceed to the ground by the above buses from stops situated close to the station.
Other First Division Fixtures
Airdrie United v Raith Rovers
Dunfermline Athletic v Ayr United
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Queen of the South
Morton v Ross County
Match Officials
Referee: John McKendrick
Assistant Referees: David Watt and Cammy McKay
