Match Report
After starting the competitive season with a 1-0 win against holders Airdrie United in the ALBA Challenge Cup it was back to friendly action with a visit to SPL Kilmarnock.
Of the side that started against Kilmarnock only three, Patrick Boyle, Ian Maxwell and Bryan Hodge were selected for the starting eleven in this fixture. There was a chance for Thistle fans to cast their eyes over new signing Mark Corcoran for the first time and there was also a starting berth for Simon Donnelly. Elsewhere Chris Erskine and Paul Cairney, both impressive when coming off the bench at Airdrie, were given the chance to stake their claim for a place from the start against Berwick Rangers.
Thistle made a bright start and forced the game's first corner inside the opening minute but Robinson was able to confidently grab Paton's corner.
There was a half chance for Thistle two minutes later. Ian Maxwell was able to head Bryan Hodge's free kick back across goal but the angle was too tight for Jim Hamilton to knock the ball towards goal.
The game's first shot on target came the way of the home side in the 12th minute but Hinchcliffe wasn't pressed and made and easy save from Hamill's shot from the edge of the box.
A minute later it was Thistle's turn to force a keeper into making a save. Corcoran and Erskine combined well but Robinson was sharply down and was able to complete a routine save.
Corcoran was obviously keen to impress and after a neat passing move he was able to gather the ball just inside the Kilmarnock half. His run took him to within 20 yards of goal but his final shot was always on the rise.
In the 17th minute Kilmarnock were close to an opening goal. Fernandez touched the ball into the path of Jamie Hamill whose shot took a touch on its' way past to earn the home side their first corner of the night.
After 25 minutes Craig Hinchcliffe showed assured handling intercepting a Owens cross after he had been set up by Connor Sammon.
In the 28th minute though Hinchcliffe was nearly punished for a poor clearance from feet. The ball falling at the feet of Connor Sammon who wasn't able to keep his shot from 35 yards out down.
Thistle came the closest yet to an opening goal after 32 minutes. A swift counter attack finished with Chris Erskine knocking a Corcoran cross into the side netting. The Thistle travelling support of a few hundred at the opposite end of the ground thinking that the ball had hit the back of the net.
Kilmarnock were even closer to an opening goal just 2 minutes later. Connor Sammon was proving to be a real handful and when the ball was played into him some 15 yards from goal he was unlucky to see his shot strike the base of Hinchcliffe's left hand post and bounce clear.
Both teams were producing some neat passages of play and in the 38th minute Thistle were again close to opening the scoring. Paul Cairney was at the heart of this move with a lovely ball into the box for Simon Donnelly. Donnelly's cross, however, dropped just behind the Thistle strikers and the opportunity was lost.
In Thistle's next attack Donnelly tried a more direct approach but his shot from 20 yards out neither had the pace or direction to unduly trouble Robinson in the Kilmarnock goal.
Thistle made four changes at the break Jonny Tuffey, Paul Paton, John Robertson and Stephen McKeown coming on for Craig Hinchcliffe, Patrick Boyle, Ian Maxwell and Bryan Hodge.
With two minutes of the restart Kilmarnock had a penalty. Sammon was adjudged to have been fouled by John Robertson. Tuffey's first touch of the ball though was, after guessing correctly what way to go, to save Jamie Hamill's penalty.
He was, however, picking the ball out the net just a few minutes later. Flannigan squared the ball to Jamie Hamill and this time he made no mistake.
A minute later it was 2-0. Sammon was the provider this time and Gavin Skelton, often a thorn in Thistle's side in the past, planted a header firmly past Tuffey and into the net.
Thistle's response was for Mark Corcoran to cut in from the right and fire a shot that Robinson did well to get down to and save at his left hand post.
The goals were coming at a fair old rate at this point and the next goal, in the 54th minute, was a deserved Thistle one. Corcoran, proving to be as effective on the right as he had the left in the first half, sent over a perfectly weighted cross that Simon Donnelly didn't have to break stride to head into the net.
On the hour mark Thistle made a further change Mark Corcoran being replaced to warm applause by David Rowson.
Thistle made their final change after 67 minutes when Kris Doolan replaced Jim Hamilton.
After three goals and a missed penalty in the first ten minutes of the second half the game settled down to a more typical pre-season friendly rhythm but Jonny Tuffey still required to be well position to grab hold of a fierce Fernandez shot.
In the 77th minute Tuffey was again well placed this time tipping Flannigan's well hit shot over the bar.
There were 6 minutes of this game remaining when Thistle equalised. Simon Donnelly pushed the ball through to Stephen McKeown who saw his shot saved by Robinson. Kris Doolan though was alive to the situation and was onto the loose ball in an instant and a second later the ball was in the back of the net.
There was just a minute of the game remaining when Thistle snatched a dramatic winner. Simon Donnelly collected the ball inside the box and he made no mistake with an excellent shot past Robinson.
