Jags Defeated in Friendly Match
Tuesday 27th July 2010
A little earlier this evening a Thistle XI, which included Hearts defender Conrad Balatoni, went down to a 3-2 defeat against Airdrie United in a friendly match at the Glasgow Science Park
The damage in this defeat was inflicted during the course of the first 45 minutes at the end of which Thistle found themselves trailing by three goals to nil.
Airdrie United had already threatened the Thistle goal when they punctured the Thistle rearguard for the first time to take a 6th minute lead.
Things didn’t get any better for Thistle either as Airdrie continued to exert pressure on the Thistle goal. They were rewarded for that pressure with a second goal in the 22nd minute when a near post free kick deceived Craig Hinchcliffe and found the back of the Thistle net.
Thistle were close to a goal of their own in the 26th minute when a Kieran Burns pass was dummied into the path of Iain Flannigan by Martin Grehan but Flannigan was unable to keep his shot down.
Two-nil though became three-nil in the 35th minute when Airdrie increased their lead with a bullet header from a right wing cross.
Ironically Thistle had their best spell of the first half after falling 3-0 behind. In the 39th minute Kieran Burns set up Iain Flannigan who tested the Airdrie keeper at his near post and with half-time approaching Chris Erskine, on the comeback trail, saw his effort following a Grehan flick cleared off the line.
It took Thistle though just two second half minutes to finally get themselves on the score sheet. A neat little flick at the edge of the box from Kieran Burns gave Martin Grehan an opportunity and he shot low into the back of the net.
Three minutes later Iain Flannigan set up Kieran Burns but he saw his shot saved. A second Thistle goal, however, did arrive in the 53rd minute when Paul Cairney was on hand to convert a Chris Erskine cross.
Thistle dominated the remainder of the second half but were unable to find the equaliser that their second half, if not the first, performance probably just about merited.
The Thistle youngsters, the Thistle side that finished the game included no fewer than 7 players 19 or under, again acquitted themselves well.
It was important too that Iain Flannigan, whose future we hope to provide positive news of tomorrow, and Chris Erskine, who played 75 minutes before being substituted, got game time. Both having had time on the injury list recently.
You will be able to read Chris’ thoughts on his comeback here on www.ptfc.co.uk on Thursday.
Team: Hinchcliffe (Scully 73), McGeough, Stevenson, Cairney (Lochhead 56), Trialist, Maxwell, Flannigan, Bannigan (Campbell 45), Grehan, Burns (Fraser 65), Erskine (Burbridge 75).
