NO SITTING ON DEFENCE
Raging Archibald won’t listen to excuses as he slams his slackers
Alan Archibald refused to have a go at the officials for giving Hearts a dubious late equaliser and turned his guns on his defence instead.
Danny Devine protested that Ross Callachan’s 80th-minute header had not crossed the line when he nodded it clear. But referee Don Robertson let the goal stand. TV replays are inconclusive because of the camera angle.
And Archie refused to use it as an excuse for letting slip t hei r first league win of the season, a f ter Bl ai r Spittal’s firsthalf strike had put them in the driving seat.
The Thistle boss said: “I’ve seen it back and it’s hard to tel l. But I’m more disappointed with our defending in the build-up.
“We’d dealt with all Hearts’ balls into the box really well.
“But it came from a bad kickout then a quick corner caught us out. We should have been better than that and quicker.
“When you’re down where we are these things always become harder and it seems to happen a lot more. But it was a good positive performance.
“Blair Spittal was the most creative player on the pitch today and deserved his goal.”
Just five minutes in Spittal burst out of midfield and opted to go it alone instead of slipping in Miles Storey. His drive from the edge of the box flashed a foot wide but it was a warning sign that Hearts would soon suffer for not heeding.
But first the Jambos had a close call of their own when Esmael Goncalves’ neat little feed into the path of onrushing Michael Smith teed up the fullback to rap a first-time shot, turned away by Ryan Scully.
By the 18th minute Thistle had forged ahead. Hearts boss Craig Levein will look back on his defence’s part in their downfall with fury as Aaron Hughes was guilty of standing off Spittal as he strode forward and cut inside Christophe Berra with far too much ease.
His low shot could have been better but another shocker – this time by keeper Jon McLaughlin letting the ball go through his legs – gifted the wide man his sixth goal of the season. Jags ful l- back Paul McGinn was causing the narrow Jambos back three plenty of problems with his overlapping dashes down the right.
And 10 minutes before the break one such run forced Berra into the referee’s book for a desperate lunge.
A minute before the break McGinn delivered a cross for Adam Barton to rise in the box, denied only by John Souttar well placed on his line to nod away.
Levein couldn’t afford to wait long into the second half before changing things up. And shortly after Jamie Walker’s drive from almost 30 yards screamed just wide of a sensational equaliser – the Hearts boss made his move, Rafal Grzelak making way for Ashley Smith-Brown on 53 minutes to stifle McGinn’s constant threat down the flank.
The loss of Christie Elliot disrupted Thistle’s flow on the other wing when he limped off, replaced by Milan Nitriansky.
Another positive switch – David Milinkovic for Michael Smith - cranked up the pressure on the home side for the last 15 minutes. And it worked a treat, as the sub whipped in the cross for Callachan to head home the leveller with 10 minutes to go.
Devine desperately headed it clear but linesman Joseph Lawson ruled the ball had crossed the line.
There were more protests by Thistle in time added on when Edwards was clearly nudged off the ball by Smith-Brown but ref Don Robertson didn’t want to hear the furious Aussie’s spot-kick claims.