Under 19s go Down to Defeat at Largs
Wednesday 21st July 2010
Earlier this evening a Thistle under 19 side, which included a number of players from our under 16 side last season, went down to a 4-0 defeat against last season’s beaten Scottish Junior Cup finalists Largs Thistle.
While the home side were clear and deserved winners the score line doesn’t provide the whole story with the young Jags, many of whom were playing their first game of the season, acquitting themselves against bigger and stronger opposition.
In a game played in the most part in heavy rain and on a pitch where the grass was a touch on the long side the Thistle players weren’t in any sense over awed by their physically stronger opponents and there were many positives for coach Ian Cameron to take from the game.
Thistle could hardly have wished for a worse start to the game falling behind after just 45 seconds of play. When a free header from a set play had the Junior side 2-0 ahead after 15 minutes there was a fear that Largs would run away with the game.
Gradually though Thistle got to grips with the conditions and played some pleasing on the eye football. Ryan Clougherty probably coming the closest to a Thistle goal in the first half with a shot that dipped over the bar after the player had created the opening for himself.
Thistle started the second half with Graeme Shephard on in place of Ryan Scully in the Thistle goal and just as Ryan had to pick the ball out the net early in the first half so too did Shephard at the start of the second as he couldn’t quite keep out a lobbed shot.
At times this match was a fiercely contested one with little quarter given with some of the challenges. It was pleasing, therefore, to see that the young Thistle players were more than capable of holding their own.
A goal would have been a just reward for Thistle’s efforts and Ryan Clougherty was again unfortunate not to find the net with a shot that struck the Largs bar.
There was to be one more goal before the finish with a well struck shot from the edge of the Thistle box flying past Shephard and into the net in the game’s final minute.
Given the hard work that the Thistle showed throughout the 90 minutes in strength sapping conditions there are sure to be a few sore Thistle legs tomorrow.
Coach Ian Cameron was certainly not down hearted when he spoke to www.ptfc.co.uk after the game.
“We knew that we would get a really tough game from Largs tonight and the result in games like these isn’t important. Tonight’s game was all about trying to build up fitness levels and in heavy conditions the players worked really hard and I’m pleased with what I saw from them tonight.”
Next up for the under 19s is a match with Hamilton Accies with a date and kick-off time to be confirmed.
