Satisfying tale of revenge for Tam
PARTICK ThIsTle captain Tam O’Ware relished his return to Cappielow and silenced the Morton boo boys.
If O’Ware could have handpicked a stadium to open his goalscoring account for Thistle, then his former stomping ground would have been high on his list.
since moving to the Jags in 2018, the defender has received stick from Morton fans in the two previous games he lined up against them at Firhill.
That didn’t change when he went back to the club he made over 200 appearances for, with derogatory chants ringing out from a section of the home support during this crucial 2-1 win.
so, when he got on the end of Reece Cole’s corner in the 61st minute to steer a half-volley home, O’Ware — who missed the majority of last season through injury — enjoyed the moment as he ran the length of the park to celebrate in front of the travelling support.
O’Ware said: ‘I think I’ve got every right to enjoy it. since I left, I’ve been slaughtered every game I’ve played against them, so I’m not going to come here and not celebrate.
‘listen, it doesn’t bother me if they want to give me a bit of stick for leaving, that’s fine. But if they think I’m not going to celebrate, then they are miles off it.
‘It’s my first goal for Thistle, I know I was credited for one against Airdrie but this is my first proper goal and I was delighted to get it after a horrendous year last year.
‘It’s been a while, the boys have been slagging me since I’ve come here as I haven’t got near any. so to get one here, I don’t think you could write it and I was delighted to get on the scoresheet.’
O’Ware almost scored moments before doing so but his header from a Cole free-kick was brilliantly saved by Danny Rogers. That, however, only delayed his celebration as, from the resultant corner, he notched Partick’s winner.
O’Ware added: ‘When the keeper saved my initial effort, I thought it wasn’t going to happen but a few seconds later I scored. It actually wasn’t a great ball in but I’ve made a run across the defender and managed to get something on it.’
It had been an emotional 24 hours for Partick Thistle with the announcement of club owner and benefactor Colin Weir’s passing on Friday following a short illness and O’Ware knew it was important to secure three precious points for the lifelong Jags fan who has given so much to the club.
he said: ‘It has been a horrible 24 hours for the club. It is well documented what Mr Weir has done for Partick, for the Youth Academy and for the club itself especially with the takeover.
‘The gaffer mentioned him before the game. You don’t go into games thinking: “let’s do this” but it was fitting that we got three points.’
Alex Jones opened the scoring for Partick after five minutes but that was cancelled out on the half-hour mark by a Kyle Jacobs penalty.
Partick, however, were not to be denied the win that lifted them above Morton into eighth place as O’Ware struck.
The defender added: ‘We’ve been on a good run. We had a shocking start, we know that, the fans know that and it is down to ourselves.
‘It’s up to us to put it right and we knew coming here and then going to Alloa next week it was two cup finals.
‘If you get two or three wins, you move up four or five places. But if we hadn’t won here and then next week, we’re right back in it. so it’s important to get momentum.’
Morton boss David hopkin knows they need to add reinforcements when the transfer window opens, saying: ‘We’ll only bring players in to make us better, not to make the numbers up.’