UP AND RUNNING
Lawless backing the earlier competitive start to new season
THE received wisdom has always been that only by doing the hard miles can footballers reach their optimum levels of physical and match fitness at the outset of the season. Could it be that the redrawing of the calendar — a blizzard of competitive games in the revamped Betfred Cup in July — has now expedited that process? On the evidence of Partick Thistle’s pulsating joust with Queens, you would have to think that is certainly the case.
This was a second meaningful run-out for Alan Archibald’s men and a third for Gavin Skelton’s this term, but there was not a hint of either side still catching their breaths.
Whatever the negatives of the new format, there couldn’t have been a soul within the 2,358 crowd that longed for a non-competitive feel.
When it was put to Steven Lawless, the scorer of Thistle’s winner in the 90th minute, that the new set up was encouraging a degree of mind over matter as far as getting up to speed was concerned, his reply was revealing.
‘It’s a bit different this year with the League Cup being so early,’ said the 25-year-old. ‘It means you need to be up to speed a bit quicker.
‘I think a lot of the boys would rather that than four or five friendlies where you’re in it for your fitness.
‘There’s a competitive edge to this game which makes it more important and gives you a boot up the bum to get your fitness and sharpness up.’
From the outset here, it looked like Thistle had already applied their big toe to said posterior.
On an excellent new surface, Archibald’s men passed the ball with both poise and purpose.
Ade Azeez sent one header a hair’s breadth wide of the target and had a shot scrambled off the line. David Amoo struck the bar with another header while Chris Erskine’s solo mission through the middle was only ended by a fine block by Andy Dowie.
Archibald probably knew what was coming. Although Queens had been second best in the first period — Mark Millar struck the bar from 20 yards — they had played their part in the match.
Dale Hilson’s conversion of Derek Lyle’s cross two minutes after the restart was hardly daylight robbery.
The turning point of the game came 13 minutes from time, when Hilson struck the upright when it seemed easier to score.
The introduction of Mathias Pogba was designed to rattle the visitors’ defence and it certainly had the desired effect.
With seven minutes left, the Frenchman’s header was parried by Lee Robinson, the rebound weakly defended with Erskine, who spent the day playing in behind the strikers, stroking home the leveller from eight yards.
At the death, Pogba’s leap and intelligent header across goal gifted Lawless the chance to spare us a penalty shoot-out and he obliged with a left-foot volley.
On the strength of their improved second-half display, Queens were entitled to feel aggrieved but there was a clear versatility to Partick’s display.
Azeez — signed from Wimbledon this summer — is a mobile, diligent operator and offers something different from the power of Pogba and the predatory instincts of Kris Doolan.
‘Azeez is quite similar to Lyle (Taylor),’ offered Lawless. ‘He’s very quick and very strong. He gives us a different option in behind Pogba.
‘The two of them are different. Then you’ve got Dools who’s a goalscorer and has a great touch. It was a great header back for my goal as well.
‘We also know what Chris Erskine offers. In the year we were promoted, he was outstanding.
‘Hopefully he has the same season again and I’m sure we’ll do quite well if he does.
‘We have different options and that can only help us in the long run.
‘It’s early doors but, potential wise, I think it is one of the best squads I’ve been involved in.
‘I think we’ve got a bit of everything and we’ve got boys on the bench who are more than capable of coming on to change it if we need something different.’
Thistle have joined Queens on the six-point mark, although they have played a game fewer.
Defeating Stenhousemuir tomorrow and Queen’s Park next weekend will secure their passage to the last 16.
‘It was as close to a must-win match as you can get this early in the season,’ said Lawless.
‘To go a goal behind wasn’t ideal but the boys showed character to fight back and get the win.
‘I don’t see why we can’t go on a run. Since I’ve been here I don’t think we’ve done that well.
The best we’ve managed is a quarter-final. It would be nice to go a bit further.’