Partick Thistle Football Club

As you would expect pre-season manager Ian McCall made a number of changes from the team that defeated Queen’s Park on Saturday. There were starts for Craig Hinchcliffe, Ross McGeough, Willie Kinniburgh, Ryan MacBeth and Simon Donnelly.

Dumbarton got the game underway in blustery conditions but it was Thistle that came close to opening the scoring in the 4^th minute. A lovely through ball from Liam Buchanan picked out Simon Donnelly who in turn cut the back for the trialist who saw his effort blocked by a Dumbarton defender.

Two minutes Thistle missed another excellent opportunity when Liam Buchanan tried to find the net from a tight angle rather than square the ball across goal to a better placed team mate.

It was the home side though that took the lead in the 10^th minute. A ball into the Thistle box was only cleared as far as Andy Geggan who fairly rifled a shot past Hinchcliffe and into the Thistle net from fully 20 yards out.

That goal signalled a period of ascendancy for the home side and in the 20^th minute a well struck drive from Graham Wilson was just a little too straight to unduly trouble Hinchcliffe in the Thistle goal.

Two minutes later a Ross Campbell shot from distance was just a few feet too high as Thistle continued to struggle to make much impression on proceedings.

Thistle though could well have been level in the 23^rd minute. The trialist wide on the left escaped the attention of Dumbarton’s Iain Chisholm before sending a cross to Liam Buchanan at the back post. Liam’s header found Simon Donnelly but he was quickly closed down and the opportunity was lost.

Thistle missed another chance to draw level in the 35^th minute. Ryan MacBeth’s chipped pass found Liam Buchanan but Grindlay was sharp off his line and was able to block Buchanan’s effort.

Chances were starting to come for Thistle and a deflected effort from Paul Cairney just crept wide of goal with Grindlay struggling.

 Geggan scorer of the game’s opening goal after ten minutes was close again three minutes from half time but this time his shot was too high.

Thistle started the second half with David Rowson and Paul Paton on in place of Ross McGeough and Bryan Hodge.

The scores should really have been tied five minutes after the restart. A neat passing move presented with Ryan MacBeth a clear look at goal but he rather snatched at the chance with the result that shot went wide of the keeper’s right hand post.

Dumbarton’s Andy Geggan wasn’t shy in trying his luck from distance and in the 56^th minute his shot from 35 yards forced Hinchcliffe into making a smart save low down to his right.

Thistle took the opportunity of making a third substitution a short time later with Kris Doolan coming on in place of Ryan MacBeth.

In the 61^st minute Paul Cairney rather wasted a promising position when he mishit his shot from the edge of the box after he himself had created the space.

Thistle did have the ball in the net in the 65^th minute but Kris Doolan had strayed offside before collecting Paddy Boyle’s deflected shot.

In the 67^th minute Martin Grehan was introduced to proceedings when he came on for Liam Buchanan with Stuart Bannigan coming on for Paul Cairney.

With 17 minutes remaining Dumbarton were close to a second goal. Former Jag Scott Chaplain played in Graham Wilson but when left with just Hinchcliffe to beat Wilson could only drag his shot wide of the far post.

In the 76^th minute Thistle were level. A back heel from Willie Kinniburgh played in Simon Donnelly and from 12 yards his crisp shot found the back of the net.

Just after the game the restarted Thistle made their final change of the game with Colin Stevenson replacing Paddy Boyle.

With 7 minutes remaining Andy Geggan again demonstrated his ability to strike the ball from long range with a shot from 25 yards that dipped just a fraction too late and struck the top of the Thistle bar on the way over.

There was just three minutes remaining when a Ross Campbell thunderbolt from 20 yards out flew into the back of the Thistle net. A goal fit to win any game.

 Team: Hinchcliffe, McGeough (Paton 45), Boyle (Rowson 45), Hodge, Robertson, Kinniburgh, Cairney (Bannigan), MacBeth (Doolan), Buchanan (Grehan 67), Donnelly, Trialist.