JAGS JOY AT FRIGHT TO FINISH
PARTICK TH...3 MOTHERWELL...2
THREE goals in 11 minutes lit up Firhill but Partick Thistle had to survive a second-half scare to clinch a priceless win for Alan Archibald.
The Premiership’s basement boys produced a devastating first-half goal rush with Blair Spittal, Ryan Edwards and Conor Sammon all on target.
But Motherwell refused to quit and Stephen Robinson’s personnel and tactical changes threatened an unlikely comeback.
Ryan Bowman and sub Craig Tanner netted for the Steelmen who threw the kitchen sink at a Jags side who gritted their teeth to secure a third league win of the season and move a point behind Saturday’s opponents Dundee.
Archibald made three changes to the side thrashed 5-1 at Kilmarnock last weekend.
Midfielder Martin Woods was handed his first start with Sammon and Miles Storey leading the line as Steven Lawless, Chris Erskine and Kris Doolan all dropped to the bench.
Chris Cadden and Alex Fisher were both crocked during Well’s 1-0 defeat at Hearts so Liam Grimshaw and Lithuanian striker Deimantas Petravicius were drafted in.
The Jags fans in Firhill’s north stand were vocal from the first whistle as they watched their team get on the front foot and make a bright start.
And Archibald’s troops capitalised on their good play with the opener in 16 minutes.
Sammon surged forward down the left channel but was brought down just outside the box by Carl McHugh with referee Don Robertson awarding a free-kick.
The sense of anticipation was followed by huge celebration as Spittal stepped up to curl his set-piece strike into the top right-hand corner of the net.
Two minutes later Woods nodded wide from a Storey delivery. The home side’s relentless pressure had the Steelmen swaying and they doubled the lead in the 22nd minute.
Storey threaded a lovely pass in behind the Well defence for Edwards who smashed the ball past keeper Russell Griffiths.
The visitors were on the ropes and a defensive breakdown in 27 minutes saw Jags bag a third.
Well’s rearguard switched off as Storey squared for Sammon in the area and he calmly slotted home his first goal of the season. The confidence was flooding back into the Jags ranks with Storey feeding Sammon who laid off for Adam Barton to fire over from distance.
But Well looked a threat when they got into the box and a Charles Dunne header that bounced wide from an Elliot Frear centre was a warning the night wasn’t done yet.
As the interval approached Jags keeper Tomas Cerny had to dive smartly to his right to block Andrew Rose’s low effort. And after the break Robinson had no choice but to shake things up with Grimshaw and Rose hooked for Gael Bigirimana and Tanner.
The 3-5-2 formation was binned for 4-2-3-1 with Bigirimana in front of the back four, Tanner deployed in the No.10 role and Petravicius moved to the right.
The visitors knew a goal had the potential to unsettle Jags and in 55 minutes Cedric Kipre nodded in a cross but after a quick word with assistant Gary Hilland, Robertson ruled it out for offside. But a minute later a Frear corner found Bowman who headed home his seventh goal of the campaign.
Well piled on the pressure and a grandstand finish was set up in 79 minutes as Motherwell made it 3-2 when Tanner was allowed to advance unchallenged and drill a low shot into the bottom corner.
Storey could have eased nerves when he curled an effort just over in the closing stages.
Robinson’s men battled to the end with a Frear header blocked by Cerny and Dunne nodding wide.
But Jags held on to secure a vital win that provides fresh hope in their relegation fight.