Partick Thistle Football Club

RAITH ROVERS 1, PARTICK THISTLE 0

FULL-TIME

90 mins+ : Great save from Tuffey from Mark Ferry. Raith corner. It looks like defeat.

90 mins: That's the 90 minutes come and gone. Into injury time now.

crowd: 1,951

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. HOPEFULLY WE ARE BACK NOW

80 mins: A fine save from Jonny Tuffey to deny Smith a second goal.

76 mins: GOAL RAITH. An Ellis free kick is headed home by Kevin Smith.

75 mins: yellow card for Archibald.

68 mins: John Robertson appears to be limping.

66 mins: A booking for Paul Paton. That might mean a period of suspension.

65 mins: Change for Thistle. Chris Erskine for Greg Shields.

64 mins: Paul Cairney is booked.

62 mins: A fierce Craig Wilson shot is beaten out by Jonny Tuffey before Thistle get the ball clear.

60 mins: Rovers nearly do just that but Russell is flagged offside.

58 mins: Play is moving swiftly from end to end but neither side so far has delivered the telling ball.

49 mins: Great delivery on the right from Paul Paton but David Rowson's glancing header goes just the wrong side of the post.

48 mins: Liam Buchanan was quiet in the first half but his run and driven cross nearly creates an opening for Thistle.

46 mins: Nearly a horrible start to the half for Thistle. David Rowson gives the ball away and after Robertson clears Thistle are a little lucky to enjoy the break of the ball.

Back under way. Thistle shooting towards the away stand in the second half.

It's been a bit of a slog for Thistle on a stodgy pitch. There is little sign of Raith being side that hasn't played for a month. Perhaps that will show as the game wares on. More importantly though Thistle must improve after the break.

HALF-TIME

45 mins+: Craig Wilson is booked. Thistle have a free kick in a promising position. It is worked to Liam Buchanan but he can get no pace on his header and McGurn saves.

43 mins: An anxious moment for Shields as he fouls Tade but despite shouts from the home crowd there is no card this time.

41 mins: Greg Shields collects a yellow card.

40 mins: A Corcoran run produces a Thistle corner. Conroy from the left to take it. It's cleared.

36 mins: Rovers corner. Thistle half clear before conceding a further two corners in rapid succession.

32 mins: Excellent save from McGurn. Cairney sets up Simon Donnelly and McGurn dives full length to turn Donnelly's shot round the post for a corner which is cleared.

29 mins: Hesitation from Paul Paton gives Mark Ferry a glimpse of goal but his shot is a poor one and it is an easy save for Tuffey.

27 mins: A Johnny Russell shot smacks off the Thistle bar but although Tade nods home the rebound he is flagged for offside. Just a little too close that.

25 mins: Thistle are happy to scramble clear a Tade cross after he found himself in space inside the Thistle box. Thistle have been the better side of late but they switched off there.

23 mins: Simon Donnelly chips a free kick into the Raith box but Mark Corcoran can't direct his header on target.

14 mins: A good wee spell from Thistle and another corner. On the left this time. Conroy again takes and Archibald's shot is blocked for a corner on the other side.

13 mins: A Paton cross produces a Thistle corner. Conroy's corner is a good one but McGurn punches clear.

11 mins: Thistle free kick 25 yards from goal. Donnelly takes it but it goes high over the bar.

10 mins: The sticky nature of the pitch looks as if it might be a factor. Rovers have started the better and there have been a couple of anxious moments at the edge of the Thistle box.

7 mins: An early change for Rovers. Sloan comes on for the injured Walker.

4 mins: We've already had two delays for treatment to Rovers players but we are back underway again at Stark's Park.

2 mins: Half a chance for Raith. A free kick is pumped into the Thistle box but after the ball is knocked on Tade sends his header wide.

1 min: We are under way and Thistle look like operating flat back four of Paton and Conroy in the full back positions and Robertson and Archibald in the middle. Greg Shields playing just in front of them.

PRE-MATCH NEWS: With the exception of one part of that is heavily sanded the Stark's Park pitch looks in good condition although it will be heavy going. Thistle have been hit by a number of late call-offs. Steve Lovell, Ian Maxwell, Jamie Adams joining Martyn Corrigan, Stephen McKeown and Craig Hinchcliffe on the injured list. That allows Ryan Conroy and Greg Shields to make their Thistle debuts. On the bench Bryn Halliwell makes his first appearance as is joined by Chris Erskine, Bryan Hodge, Paddy Boyle and Kris Doolan.