Match Report
Thankfully a few overnight sniffles appeared to have cleared up allowing manager Ian McCall, wuth the exceptions of injured duo Martyn Corrigan and Stephen McKeown, to select from a full squad for our first visit to Inverness on league business since the end of the 2001/2002 season. Liam Buchanan now free from suspension was drafted back into the team and there was a start for Mark Corcoran. Kris Doolan and Chris Erskine being the two unlucky players to drop to the bench to accommodate them.
There was a quiet opening to this game with Inverness perhaps settling the better in the early exchanges although neither keeper was pressed into any serious action. Indeed it wasn't until the 19th minute that we had even the semblance of a chance. Even then a Grant Munro header from a Jonny Hayes free kick went harmlessly over the bar.
What little there was in terms of chances were coming the home side's way and in the 25th minute a run from Graeme Shinnie took him a few steps into the Thistle box but his finish was poor as he dragged the ball well wide of target.
Thistle were close to taking the lead on the half hour mark. Paul Cairney was fouled just a couple of yards outside the Inverness box and from the right hand side corner Hodge curled in a shot that Esson was forced to tip over the bar for a corner.
The game was starting to come to life at this point. In the 32nd minute a Nick Ross run finished with a shot high over the Thistle bar. Two minutes later Barrowman was able to collect a long clearance from Grant Munro and cut the ball back to Hayes some ten yards out. Hayes though succeeded only in getting his final shot horribly wrong.
In the 37th minute Thistle took the lead. A Bryan Hodge corner from the left hand side was headed on by John Robertson and when the home defence didn't clear Liam Buchanan cheekily back heeled the ball home from inside the six yard box.
Two minutes later Thistle doubled their lead. Russell Duncan got himself into a real mess a couple of yards outside his box and Liam Buchanan nipped in to lob the ball over Esson and into the net.
On the stroke of half-time Thistle made it 3-0. Thistle ripped Inverness apart on the counter attack and Bryan Hodge and Liam Buchanan combined to set up Alan Archibald who side footed the ball home from just a few yards outside the box.
Thistle were forced into a change early in the second half with Chris Erskine replaced an apparently unwell Paul Cairney. Cairney being one of a clutch of players to have been suffering the affects of a virus in the latter part of the week.
Any doubt over the destination of the points would surely have been removed had Thistle scored a fourth goal in the 57th minute. This time it was Liam Buchanan the creator as he rolled a pass through to Simon Donnelly who saw his shot blocked by the legs of Esson.
Thistle were close to a fourth goal twice around the hour mark. Chris Erskine was denied a goal by a save from Esson at his near post and when Inverness were unable to clear Corcoran glanced a header wide of target.
There was a lifeline for Inverness, however, in the 63rd minute. John Robertson was adjudged to have fouled Hayes inside the box and Rooney, just on as a sub , made an immaculate job of the penalty that followed.
In the 68th minute Thistle made their second change of the afternoon with Jim Hamilton coming on for Simon Donnelly.
With 13 minutes of this game remaining the outcomes was once again firmly in the balance. Inverness had been exerting some pressure on the Thistle defence and a Hayes cross found Foran lurking at the back post and his close range header found the back of the net.
Before the game could restart Thistle made a third and final change with Willie Kinniburgh replacing Mark Corcoran.
What followed was 13 minutes, plus a considerable period of injury time, of intense Inverness pressure with Thistle just about hanging on for full points. Nick Ross coming close to an equaliser with a shot that Tuffey saved but couldn't hold onto.
