Gaffer Archibald’s no doubting Tomas as he springs to defence of blunder keeper Cerny
Alan Archibald defended gutted keeper Tomas Cerny after his howler dealt Partick another late sickener.
For the second week in a row the Jags were one goal up and cruising, thanks to Chris Erskine’s opener, when disaster struck at the end.
Cerny let Conor Sammon’s low shot squirt through his grasp and the ball trundled over the line.
That denied Partick a vital win – just seven days after losing a last-minute equaliser to Inverness.
Gaffer Archibald had savaged his Jags for failing to see out that victory but this time forgave his keeper who he insisted has saved them far more points than he’s cost. He said: “This was different – this wasn’t us not seeing a game out, it was down to an error you can’t legislate for.
“Tomas has been outstanding and has saved us points into double figures in the last two seasons.
“It’s one error and hopefully that’s him done – I don’t recall him making an error at all last season.
“Tomas could see one of their strikers running in and that made him take his eye off the ball.
“He’s a deep guy and the ultimate professional so he’ll feel it but it was just one of those things.
“We were unlucky with shots off the post and the bar. It’s a sore one because we deserved to win.”
The Kilmarnock support set aside their differences with club director Michael Johnston in deference to a man in mourning.
Rugby Park was united in sombre silence before kick- off to support their former chairman and recognise the loss of his wife Joanne, who died suddenly two weeks ago. It was especially poignant that Partick were the opposition – Joanne’s father was Peter “Ma Ba” McKennan, a Jags legend in the 1940s.
But after the shrill of ref John Beaton’s whistle brought the silence to a halt and the game to a start, Killie gave their fans plenty to shout about with a strong opening spell.
Cerny showed quick reflexes to thwart Kris Boyd from eight yards out when he nodded Sean Longstaff’s searching corner.
Then with the Firhill men under the cosh, in the 20th minute Jordan Jones cut inside from the right flank to crack a shot just wide from the
edge of the box. Another good chance scraped narrowly off target when Longstaff threaded a good pass for Boyd to bound into the box only to see his raking shot fly just too high.
Having weathered the storm, Partick were always going to get their spell and it started in 29 minutes when Erskine’s screaming 25-yard effort flashed wide.
Steven Lawless came closer three minutes before the break with a surprise dipping drive that came crashing off the bar.
Two more decent efforts from Adam Barton and Erskine on the volley early in the second half marked a def inite shi f t of momentum in Thistle’s favour.
Still they kept coming in wave after wave of attack until in the 70th minute Archibald must have wondered how his side were not in front when Barton wriggled himself some space on the 18-yard line.
His rasping drive looked in all the way until it cracked the inside of Freddie Woodman’s right-hand post and cannoned across the face of goal to safety.
Thistle’s dismay didn’t last long, however, as they grabbed the goal they deserved three minutes later.
Erskine’s shrewd turn in the box earned him the space to sweep home a clinical low finish. There seemed no way back for Killie the longer they huffed and puffed their way through the second half.
But they must have been well aware of Thistle’s nasty habit of leaking late goals this season.
And so it proved again in calamitous fashion as keeper Cerny’s howler laid a point on a plate to the dismay, but not the fury, of boss Archibald.
Killie caretaker Lee McCulloch knows his side will be considered lucky to share the points – but insists they make their own luck.
And he tipped goal hero Sammon for an international recall after watching him help Kilmarnock turn a lost cause into a late leveller.
That’s three goals in four games for the Ireland ace and McCulloch said: “At Conor’s previous club his confidence was shot to pieces.
“This is his second home and he is brilliant to work with. There’s no reason if he keeps playing and scoring goals he shouldn’t be going away on international duty.
“I’m delighted with the character of the boys in terms of getting back into the game. Partick probably feel like we were a bit lucky but with the amount of hard work we have put in, I believe in this game you make your own luck.”