Thistle opened the new season with a defeat, but there were some encouraging signs from the depleted squad.
With a number of key players still on holiday, Thistle were only able to field four substitutes, and it was one of these substitutes who was unexpectedly thrown into the action early on. Only 10 minutes into the match, Thistle keeper Johnny Murdoch had collected the ball in a challenge with a Rob Roy forward, but appeared to land awkwardly as he came down. Following treatment, Murdoch continuted for another couple of minutes, but was then substituted with Ryan Mailey. 17 year old Mailey was making only his second appearance for Thistle, and put in a very good showing during the remainder of the match.
Midfielder Jordan Murch, returning from the USA following a trial in the MLS, helped create Thistle first chance on 15 mins, when he collected the ball in midfield before making a sweeping pass to the right finding Murray Watson. The striker then played an excellent cross into the far post area, where trialist Jamie Stewart lurked, but he got under the ball and his header was just over. Route one football from Thistle then followed shortly after when a goal kick from Mailey, found the head of Steven McClung, who flicked the ball on into the path of Stewart, who found space for a left footed shot from 25 yards, but it went just wide.
Rob Roy's first good chance of the match came on 21 mins when Thomas Sinclair chipped the ball over the onrushing Jags defence, beating the offside trap, leaving Chris Feroz in acres of space, but his powerful shot across goal was never troubling Mailey. Rob Roy built on this pressure with some good passing around the Thistle area created space for Mark McCuish to fire in on goal, but his shot was well over.
On the stroke of half-time, Mailey made his first good save of the afternoon, when Rob Roy brokw down the right wing finding Feroz in the area. His turn and shot looked goalbound until the Jags keeper met the ball at full stretch to put it round the post and keep the scores even going into the break. Making full use of their overflowing subs bench, Rob Roy made nine changes at half-time, and it took less than 2 minutes for them to break the deadlock. Michael Hughes collected a loose ball on the edge of the area and ran between the Jags centre halves. His shot lacked power, but he appeared to wrong-foot the onrushing Mailey, and the ball deflected off the keeper's outstretched leg and into the bottom corner of the goal. On 60 minutes, Roby Roy had a great chance when substitute Paul Tweedie fired a powerful shot towards the roof of the net, but Mailey was again there to deny them as he touched the ball over.
As the game opened up, on 72 minutes, Thistle broke down the right wing at pace through Steven Hopewell, who fired an excellent cross into the box. Just falling behind McClung, the ball found the head of Kieran McEwan, but with his header looking goal-bound, keeper Ian Wilson, plucked the ball as it headed towards the top corner. With minutes remaining, Rob Roy delivered the killer blow, as Tweedie fired in a low cross into the Thistle area. Mailey was coming to collect, but Mark Templeton came across in front of him to clear the ball, but only managed to deflect the ball into the empty net.
This was a good run-out for Thistle, but it will be good to see the full squad in action in the coming weeks, as manager Colin Mitchell has more options open to him. Thistle's next match is tonight (Wednesday) against East Kilbride Dynamo at the Showpark, with a 7.15pm KO. This weekend Thistle entertain Beith Juniors, Queen Of The South XI, and Eddlewood Amateurs in their annual tournament, with the Jags first facing Eddlewood in a 12pm KO on Saturday. Beith v Queen Of The South follows at 3.30pm, with the 3rd place playoff and final on Sunday.
Team - Murdoch (Mailey 10), Struthers, McGhee, Heffron, Feeney (Hopewell 55), Brodie (Templeton 68), Williamson, Murch, McClung, M Watson, Stewart (McEwan 65)
