Match Preview
Victory on Tuesday night at Dunfermline, after a run of three straight defeats, has helped put a spring in the step of most Thistle supporters.
As welcome as three points were on Tuesday night it's important to try and build upon that result and follow it up with victory in the next fixture.
That next fixture is a highly attractive one. Long time league leaders and the overwhelming favourites for the First Division title have faltered to such a degree that our opponents at Firhill tomorrow, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, sit just a solitary point behind Dundee in second position. With Dundee facing the not inconsiderable challenge of a trip to Ross County tomorrow it is entirely possible that Inverness could top the First Division by tomorrow evening.
We, of course, want desperately make sure that that can't happen by inflicting upon a bang in form Inverness their first league defeat since they lost 2-1 at Firhill back in November. An unbeaten league run that was extended to a 13th game with their 4-0 win over bottom club Airdrie United on Tuesday.
Scorer of the winning goal in that fixture in November was Steve Lovell but Steve won't be around to try and repeat that feat tomorrow afternoon as manager Ian McCall explained when he spoke to www.ptfc.co.uk;
"Steve Lovell will be leaving Thistle today and he does so with the best wishes of everyone at Firhill. Since January Steve has been struggling with an ankle injury to such a degree that the player feels that it is best to go in for surgery. Steve feels that until his problem with his ankle has been sorted that it is impossible for him to do himself justice. Steve hasn't asked for any pay off for his contract being cancelled which is to his credit and to repeat we wish him all the best for the future."
So what other team news can the manager bring us?
"We didn't pick up any fresh injuries in defeating Dunfermline on Tuesday night which is obviously good news. Inverness are a big strong physical side and with that in mind Ian Maxwell, whose height could be a real asset, comes back into contention for a place in the team for what will be a very difficult fixture."
Inverness are very much involved in a title tussle with Dundee, and others, and it is with no little frustration that we find ourselves currently viewing this title fight from a distance rather than in the middle of it. With, including tomorrow's match, seven games still to play this season it is not impossible that we could haul ourselves back into the promotion picture but the manager was down playing that possibility.
"If we were to win against Inverness and then Raith Rovers in midweek I might start to think that what looks impossible might just be possible after all but at the moment we are just trying to concentrate on finishing the season on as positive a note as possible."
Current Form - Last Five Games
W D L F A
2 0 3 4 5
Scorers Season 2009/2010
Liam Buchanan 14
Simon Donnelly 9
Paul Cairney 8
Mark Corcoran 4
Bryan Hodge 3
Chris Erskine 3
Steve Lovell 3
Jamie Adams 2
Kris Doolan 2
Jim Hamilton 2
Alan Archibald 1
Paul Paton 1
David Rowson 1
Last Match
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Tuesday March 23rd 2010
Dunfermline Athletic 1, Partick Thistle 2
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Stats
Current Form - Last Five Games
W D L F A
3 2 0 10 3
Scorers Season 2009/2010
Adam Rooney 19
Richie Foran 10
Jonathan Hayes 8
Danni Sanchez 6
Nauris Bulvitis 5
Robert Eagle 3
Dougie Imrie 3
Grant Munro 3
David Proctor 3
Lee Cox 2
Eric Odhiambo 2
Andrew Barrowman 1
Nicholas Ross 1
Danny Stratford 1
Ross Tokely 1
Own Goals 1
Last Match
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Tuesday March 23rd 2010
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4, Airdrie United 0
Last Meeting
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday January 30th 2010
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2, Partick Thistle 1
Teams
Inverness: Esson, Proctor, Bulvitis, Munro, Djebi-Zadi, Cox, Sanchez, Foran (Odhiambo), Tokely, Rooney, Hayes.
Thistle: Tuffey, Corrigan, Conroy, Hodge, Robertson, Maxwell, Corcoran, Rowson, Buchanan, Lovell, Erskine.
Scorers
Inverness: Hayes (38), Rooney (89)
Thistle: Corcoran (16)
Crowd: 3,107
Match Details
Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division
Saturday March 27th 2010
Partick Thistle v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Prices
Adults: £16
OAP/Full time Education/16-21: £11
Under 16s: FREE
Programme: £2.50
Other First Division Fixtures
Airdrie United v Morton
Queen of the South v Dunfermline Athletic
Raith Rovers v Ayr United
Ross County v Dundee
Match Officials
Referee: Frank McDermott
Assistant Referees: Lawrence Kerrigan and Robert Docherty
