Match Report
Ian McCall made three changes to his starting eleven for the visit of Inverness. Jonny Tuffey returned in goal while Steve Lovell came in for his first start as a Thistle player when he replaced the injured Liam Buchanan. Those changes were perhaps expected but the omission from the 16 of Paul Paton, an otherwise ever present, was more of a surprise. Bryan Hodge returned to the starting eleven with Jamie Adams wearing the number two jersey although it John Robertson that would occupy the right back role.
Thistle could scarcely have made a worse start following a goal behind after six minutes. Inverness had already had a half chance when Rooney headed wide after Tuffey hadn't claimed a cross but there was no reprieve in the 6th minute. A free kick on wide on the touchline on the right hand side somehow ended up in the corner of the net with Ross Tokely appearing to get the final touch.
The loss of that early goal didn't appear to spark Thistle into life any and Inverness were close to a second goal in the 18th minute. Jonny Tuffey had managed to palm away a cross from the right but Hayes was able to return the ball back across goal. His cross found Danni Sanchez but he could only shoot tamely wide from a good position.
Thistle though were nearly level in the 21st minute in their first serious assault on the Inverness goal. An Ian Maxwell long throw was flicked on by Steve Lovell with Ryan Esson producing an excellent save to keep out Mark Corcoran's header that followed. There were some claims that Corcoran's header had cleared the line before being saved but they fell on deaf ears.
Thistle had another opportunity to level the scores just before the half hour mark. A Paul Cairney corner kick from the left hand side was met by Jamie Adams but his header dropped wide of goal.
In the 36th minute Thistle were again close to an equaliser. A Hodge corner was headed on by Jamie Adams into the path of Steve Lovell no more than 6 yards out but his header, through misfortune more than anything, flew straight at Esson who was thankful to grab the ball.
Play quickly swung to the other end and Hayes came close with a shot from 25 yards that rattled the top of the Thistle bar.
Opportunities were coming at a fair old rate at this point and Bryan Hodge did well to keep a shot from 20 yards out down but Esson was able to save at his right hand post. At the other end the ever dangerous Hayes burst through into the Thistle box only to be thwarted by a well timed Ian Maxwell tackle.
With fog beginning to settle round Firhill Duncan and Sanchez both had efforts off target as the first half drew to a close.
Thistle started the second half with Stephen McKeown on for Bryan Hodge and made a decent start to the half. In the 52nd minute John Robertson gathered a pass from Paul Cairney before firing over a cross that Mark Corcoran couldn't quite make contact with.
In the 54th minute Thistle were level. Ian Maxwell had been a threat with his long throws but it was his cross that set up the goal. Jamie Adams whose height had caused Inverness, problems in the first half, was on the end of Maxwell's cross and planted a header firmly into the corner of the net.
Inverness' response to the lose of an equaliser was positive and they came close when Bulvitis was able to get his head to a corner but it was deflected wide for another corner.
Jamie Adams demanded a penalty when he went down in the box in the 57th minute and two minutes a magnificent Corcoran cross deserved to be met by a Thistle player.
Thistle though had Jonny Tuffey to thank for keeping the score at 1-1 when he produced a fine stop to keep out a deflected Foran shot. That chance signalled a period of sustained pressure from Inverness with a series of corners in quick succession.
The next goal though would be a Thistle goal. In the 69th minute Steve Lovell latched onto a through ball and when left with just Ryan Esson he made no mistake at all with a composed and powerful finish.
With Inverness pressing Thistle were thankful for a tremendous clearance almost right on the goal line in the 85th minute.
We had almost fully 5 minutes of injury time to endure before referee McDonald blew for full-time.
