Wed 27 December, 2017
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
Pittodrie Stadium, AberdeenSPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Wed 27 December, 2017. Kick Off: - 19:45
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
Q Club – 13:20
Station Bar – 13:30
Non members welcome.
Please call 07979496154 or email to book.
Jordanhill Branch:
The Jordanhill Branch will be sharing a bus with the North-West Branch
North-West Branch:
The North-West Branch will be sharing a bus with the Jordanhill Branch
Pick ups:
Milngavie Station – 15:30
Esquire House – 15:50
Jordanhill Station – 16:00
Maryhill Community Halls – 16:15
Prices:
£20 for adults
£12.50 for concessions.
A midweek trip to Pittodrie separates two home Ladbrokes Premiership matches as a crowded December period comes to a conclusion. The Jags moved off the foot of the table with a 1-0 win against Hamilton Accies on Saturday and the side head to the Granite City looking to improve their away record. Thistle boss, Alan Archibald spoke to ptfc.co.uk ahead of the meeting.
Archie began by describing just how difficult the game would be as his side prepares to face the league’s second best side.
“It’s going to be very tough. They had a slight lull but they’ve got back on track to a degree. They had two great performances against St. Johnstone and Hibernian and then lost to Celtic away but that doesn’t mean they’re off form again. They’ll play very differently in a game against us than they did at Parkhead and we have to be ready for them.”
After getting through another game without serious injury problems, the gaffer is feeling good about his selection options.
“We’ve got Jordan Turnbull coming back into the team after his suspension which gives us even more room for manoeuvre. We moved things about on Saturday and it worked for us so we know that we have the option to switch things up. Also, Martin Woods got another good chunk of time on the pitch at the weekend which can only help him and the team. Overall, we have more options than we’ve had since August which is great.”
Miles Storey makes his first trip to Pittodrie since leaving Aberdeen during the summer and will be desperate to show his former employers what they are missing out on.
“Miles essentially missed a year of football with Aberdeen. He was on the bench a lot and was never really given the chance to get going. We were keen to get him and in the end we did. He’s had some really good moments for us and we’re just giving him a platform to play on. We saw against Hamilton that other attackers can do a job too so it’s nice to have options that offer different things. If we do pick him for the game, then we’ll be looking for a performance out of him.”
As the winter break approaches, some of Thistle’s long term injured players have begun training as they step up their return to first team action.
“We’ve had Abdul Osman and Mustapha Dumbuya back in full training for the first time over the last week and Callum Booth is doing ball work so we hope to have them back in contention for the end of January. James Penrice will also come back from what has been a great loan spell at Livingston as an option so that’s like four new players potentially. We had been looking at potential transfer targets because we can’t afford to just look short term. We’d focussed on full-back because we’ve seen players like Steven Lawless and Jordan Turnbull filling in there which isn’t ideal but if we can get the guys I mentioned back then the options are much better.”
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Article Copyright © 2017. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Partick Thistle hauled themselves off twelfth spot in the Ladbrokes Premiership with a win over Hamilton in Maryhill and they looked to stay clear of the top flight bottom spot as they travelled to Pittodrie to take on second-placed Aberdeen.
Alan Archibald made three changes to the team that beat Martin Canning’s Hamilton four days prior as late injury troubles forced his hand. Martin Woods, Kris Doolan and Chris Erskine all missed out on squad places, having started at the weekend, due to injury. They were replaced in the starting XI by Conor Sammon, Andrew McCarthy and Jordan Turnbull, who returned from suspension.
The match started slowly for both sides with few shots being taken early on. Greg Stewart saw a shot saved and one blocked as he looked to break the deadlock. At the other end, Conor Sammon had a chance but his attempt on the turn was weak and easily saved.
Thistle almost caught the hosts out on the break after 20 minutes. Paul McGinn received the ball as he broke down the right flank and he whipped a delivery towards the edge of the box. The ball found Barton who then attempted a header on goal but his effort flew well wide as he met the ball to squarely.
Aberdeen had the ball in the net on 25 minutes but it wouldn’t count as the referee chalked it off. A corner came in threatening the Thistle box and it dropped in the six yard box. Adam Rooney and Daniel Devine jostled as they looked to reach the loose ball. Rooney did end up poking the ball home from close range but the referee’s whistle went; punishing a high foot by the Dons striker.
Further half chances fell for the teams with Conor Sammon, Ryan Christie, Andrew McCarthy and Greg Stewart all having sights of goal before the break, however, no one could make a breakthrough ahead of the interval and the game went into half time at 0-0.
The best chance of the game so far almost allowed Aberdeen to take the lead three minutes into the second half. Ryan Christie managed to break the Thistle backline, latching onto a high pass. He then attempted to lift the ball over the in rushing Tomas Cerny. He did that successfully and the as the ball moved towards goal, the Pittodrie crowd seemed ready to burst into celebrations. Those celebrations were halted, though, by Ryan Edwards who cleared the ball off the line.
Thistle would make their first alteration of the match on 56 minutes as Miles Storey replaces Steven Lawless adding a bit more pace to the Jags frontline.
The change was made to give Thistle more of a threat going forward but despite that it would be Aberdeen who took the lead a minute past the hour mark. Ryan Christie used some clever skill to evade the challenges of Ryan Edwards and Daniel Devine before then cutting the ball across goal into the six yard box. His delivery found Aberdeen striker, Adam Rooney who simply tapped home from a couple of yards to put his side ahead.
As the visitors looked to draw level, they created their best chance of the second half with 20 minutes to go. Blair Spittal’s whipped corner was met by Daniel Devine who had peeled off his marker. He stooped to head on goal but got caught under the ball and nodded over from around ten yards.
The Jags made another attacking change as they continued to press for an equaliser. Kevin Nisbet came on for Andrew McCarthy with 15 minutes to go.
Unfortunately for the away side, there was no leveller to be had as the game ended 1-0. Results elsewhere meant that the loss left Thistle bottom of the league in goal difference behind Ross County who picked up a draw against St. Johnstone as the Jags fell to defeat.
Thistle now focus on a crunch match with the aforementioned Ross County in a game that will decide who goes into the winter break bottom of the league. Kick-off is 15:00 from the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.
Article Copyright ©. 2017. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk
Having lifted themselves off the bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership on Saturday with a win over Hamilton, Partick Thistle fell back to the foot of the table with defeat to Aberdeen this evening. A depleted Jags squad made the long trip North to the Granite City still searching for a first away win of the season. Unfortunately for the Maryhill men, the search continues after another game without victory on the road. A solitary goal from Adam Rooney was enough to see the Dons to victory at Pittodrie as the visitors failed to answer the second half opener. Thistle boss, Alan Archibald spoke to ptfc.co.uk after the game to share his thoughts on the match.
Despite the defeat, Archie seemed pleased with the general performance of his side who suffered from some training injuries during the week.
“It was good overall. The first half was better than the second both going forward and in the back line. We knew that they were going to start quickly after their loss on Saturday and I thought we rode the waves of pressure very well. They were limited to few chances and most of the shots they did have were from outside the box.”
The gaffer was, however, displeased with the manner in which Thistle conceded the Adam Rooney goal which proved to be the winner.
“In the end, we let ourselves down defensively for the goal. When you’re playing the top teams, if they produce a moment of magic then sometimes you have to hold your hands up but they score from a throw-in; there’s nothing glamorous about that. It undermines all the good work we did throughout the match and in the end costs us the game.”
Although there was that momentary lapse which led to the goal, Alan was happy with the way that his side carried out his game plan overall.
“The plan was to make ourselves hard to break down which is something we’ve improved in recent games. We played out the plan almost perfectly in the first half but I think we struggled to match the intensity of Aberdeen in the second half. The key was to keep things close because even if you’re a goal down, that’s only one chance away from a draw. We didn’t do enough going forward in the second half to warrant a point but it’s tough to freshen things up in the second 45 when we don’t have a strong bench.”
The Thistle boss then looked ahead to the Jags’ clash with Ross County at the weekend. Both sides sit in 17 points with Ross County only ahead on goal difference and with the match representing Thistle’s last before the winter break it becomes hugely important for the men in red and yellow.
“It’s a massive game. Tonight they picked up a point which takes them above us but we know that a win on Saturday takes us off the bottom which is a huge incentive. It’s at home which is key as our home form has been brilliant lately and we’ll be looking to continue that. Hopefully a couple of the guys who missed the game tonight can make it for Saturday too, to give us a boost.”
As Archie mentioned, it’s Ross County next up for Thistle as they now prepare to face the Staggies on Saturday at the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill. Kick-off is at 15:00 in Maryhill.
A more in depth video interview with Alan Archibald is available now to Jagzone subscribers and will be followed by reaction from Conor Sammon. Log in now to see it as soon as it is available.
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Jagzone subscribers can rewatch the full 90 minutes soon.
Highlights will be added shortly and will be free for Jagzone subscribers.
For a full list of all the great content you can access from just £5.99 per month as a Jagzone member, click here.
Article Copyright © 2017. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
