Match Report
Following an encouraging display against Dundee seven days ago manager Ian McCall kept the same side for the visit to Cappielow.
The personnel may have remained unchanged but in the first half of this fixture there was little other similarity between this side and the one that had defeated Dundee with a lethargic Thistle side maybe to get in at the break just one goal behind.
Morton weren’t great either but while Thistle offered next to nothing in the final third of the pitch they at least posed a threat.
The home side came close in the 8th minute. A cross field pass from ex Jag Marc Smyth picked out Peter Weatherson inside the Thistle box but there were no takers for his cross to the back post.
The better play continued to come from the home side but it was still something of a surprise when they took an 18th minute lead. It was something of a soft goal to lose. Thistle initially looked to have dealt with Carlo Monti’s left wing corner but as the ball bounced loose inside the six yard box Stewart Kean was able to steer the ball into the Thistle net.
A second Morton goal would have put Thistle under serious pressure and in the 29th minute Kevin McKinlay’s shot from 30 yards may have gone wide but it was just a little too close for comfort. Three minutes later Stewart Kean acrobatic effort flew wide of Halliwell’s right hand post.
Thistle’s best spell of the game thus far came just after the half hour mark. In the 33rd minute Liam Buchanan broke quickly down the left for Thistle but at the edge of the box there was one pass too many and any opportunity was lost. Paul Cairney and Iain Flannigan both saw shots go over the bar as Thistle pressed but you never sensed that a Thistle goal was imminent.
In the 35th minute though we nearly did have a Thistle equaliser. A Flannigan free kick deep from the left was only partially cleared and when the ball dropped to John Robertson his shot that looked net bound was blocked by a Morton defender.
That was the closest that Thistle came to a goal in the first half but Morton were twice close to extending their lead. Firstly, Bryn Halliwell got just enough of the ball to deny Kean a clear scoring opportunity at the edge of the box before Weatherson used his strength at the edge of the Thistle box to give himself a chance that he sent wide.
No doubt unhappy with what he had seen in the first 45 minutes, Thistle manager Ian McCall made two changes at the break. Simon Donnelly and Chris Erskine coming on for Conrad Balatoni and Martin Grehan as Thistle reverted to a flat back four.
The first chance of the half though fell to Morton and Thistle were grateful that Allan Jenkins snatched at an excellent chance inside the Thistle box.
Chris Erskine was looking in the mood but it was Paddy Boyle that offered promise for Thistle in the 55th minute. His cross from the left was met by the head of Liam Buchanan but Buchanan couldn’t get the necessary power or direction on his header needed to take it beyond Colin Stewart.
In the 61st minute Thistle were nearly back on level terms. David Rowson’s pass in behind the Morton defence was collected by Liam Buchanan but Buchanan’s frustrating run in front of goal continued as he could only send his shot wide of goal. That was his last involvement in the afternoon as well as he was shortly after replaced by Kris Doolan.
You wouldn’t fault Thistle for effort but as the half drifted on the quality of the football, from both teams, was poor. In the 76th minute Morton’s Nathan Shephard at least managed a shot on target but Halliwell was well placed to save.
At the other end Kris Doolan flashed a shot from 20 yards wide but these were isolated efforts on goal in an increasingly untidy match.
Any hopes of Thistle emerging with a point were extinguished with three minutes remaining. Paul Paton gave away a free kick right on the edge of his own box. Tidser’s effort was deflected off the wall and although Halliwell appeared to get back in time the assistant referee ruled that it had crossed the line. Halliwell’s protests earning him a yellow card.
