Partick Thistle 0, Bristol Rovers 2
Tuesday 20th July 2010
Firhill staged its’ first match of season 2010-2011 with the pre-season visit of Bristol Rovers. It also marked the first appearance of the new Thistle home kit and with Bristol Rovers sporting their blue and white quartered tops the distinctive strips of both sides provided a colourful background.
Sadly the action in the first half didn’t match the colour of the strips. This was a typical pre-season affair. Both sides moved the ball well through midfield but there was precious little action in either 18 yard box.
This did have an opportunity as early as the second minute but Bryan Hodge sent his free kick from 20 yards high over the Bristol Rovers bar.
It was to Hodge that the half’s best chance fell to. A fine Thistle passing move finished with Paul Paton setting up Bryan Hodge for a shot at the edge of the Bristol Rovers box. His shot was on target but Daniels, making his Bristol Rovers debut, was down sharply and completed a comfortable save.
At the other end Thistle were coping well with what Rovers had to offer. Bryn Halliwell, playing again as a trialist, had to look sharp to gather a Gary Sawyer left wing cross but that aside the only real danger to the Thistle goal came in swift Rovers break that was halted by a well timed Willie Kinniburgh tackle.
It wasn’t exactly non-stop action at the other end. A Martin Grehan flick on did gave Liam Buchanan a half chance but the ball was just a little too far ahead of Buchanan and Daniels was able to gather the ball at the edge of his box.
Buchanan was prominent in most of Thistle’s attacks and in the 29th minute he was able to knock a ball across the Rovers six yard box but Martin Grehan was unable to control the ball and any opportunity was lost.
Four minutes later Buchanan was able to get the ball past Daniels but the ball ran out of play.
The last effort of the half came from Bristol Rovers but Chris Lines long range effort was off target and didn’t trouble Halliwell in the Thistle goal.
After a goalless first half Bristol Rovers were close to a goal just two minutes after the restart. A free kick from the left hand side was met by the head of Danny Cole but he could only glance his header wide of target.
It was Rovers that were the livelier side immediately after the break and it needed a sharp catch from Halliwell to intercept a dangerous looking Campbell cross.
Play quickly moved to the other end, however, and a Paul Cairney shot from 25 yards out forced Daniels into a save.
In the 58th minute Rovers were close to the game’s opening goal. Substitute Wayne Brown played the ball in for Darryl Duffy but Bryn Halliwell was swiftly off his line to block his shot.
In the 71st minute the deadlock was broken. Wayne Brown found himself in space some 20 yards from goal and his low shot skidded past Halliwell and into the right hand corner of the Thistle net.
With the raining pouring and lightning flashing down in the closing minutes Thistle continued to search for an equaliser and Luke Daniels had to be sharp to grab a Burns cross before Kris Doolan saw a shot blocked.
The last action of the game though saw Bristol Rovers score a second goal. It was a little harsh on an otherwise excellent Bryn Halliwell who was wrong footed by a deflected Richard Elliot shot and had no chance of recovering to make a save.
