Schalk defies illness and powers fired-up County into the top six
ALEX SCHALK climbed out his sick bed to fire League Cup winners Ross County into the top six and complete a fairytale month for the Highlanders.
The Dutchman, whose late strike against Hibs at Hampden last month earned County their first item of national silverware, once again emerged as the hero in a tense encounter at the Global Energy Stadium.
It was the 23-year-old striker’s eighth goal of the season that separated the sides as the cards fell just right for County.
They needed to beat Thistle and also hope that Hamilton did them a turn by denying Dundee victory at New Douglas Park — and fate smiled kindly on them.
The home side were also assisted by Thistle’s poor defending. Their entire back-four stood off Schalk in the 14th minute, making his task a good deal easier than it should have been.
Schalk must have been surprised by the amount of time he had to gather Brian Graham’s long ball before striking from the edge of the 18-yard box into the net. But manager Jim McIntyre revealed that it had been touch and go whether his goal hero played as he had missed three days’ training after being confined to bed with a stomach virus.
‘Alex wasn’t playing this morning as he was ill,’ said the County boss. ‘He phoned me to say he wouldn’t be able to play but I said we needed him.
‘He had a vomiting bug on Wednesday and stayed away on Thursday. He did some work in the gym on Friday but was still feeling ill this morning.
‘But I told him it wasn’t an option and he was playing.
‘Hearts players got on with it for similar reasons on Friday and we needed the wee man to do that.
‘He deserves credit for having the character to play and score the winner.’
McIntyre also heaped praise on former Thistle goalkeeper Scott Fox, who pulled off three excellent saves, from Ryan Edwards in the first half, then Mathias Pogba and Callum Booth after the break.
McIntyre added: ‘Scott was excellent. He has continually made matchwinning or point-saving stops this season and he certainly made another one when he produced the block to deny Booth when he was through on goal.’
County could conceivably finish the season as high as fourth in the Premiership and qualify for Europe, were they to do so and Celtic win the Scottish Cup.
But for the moment, McIntyre is relieved just to be contemplating fixtures against the likes of Celtic, Aberdeen and Hearts.
He said: ‘We made no secret at the start of the season that one of our main objectives was the top six, so I’m delighted.
‘The club has been fighting relegation and staying up on the last day or with a game to spare for the last few years and it was a key objective to move on from that.
‘We had been in the top six all season before falling out of it with a week to go, so we gave ourselves it all to do. But one thing about this team this season has been their character.’
Form favoured Thistle yesterday, given that they had won two and drawn one of their previous three matches, while County had shipped eight goals in losing to Inverness Caley and Dundee.
But after Schalk had broken the deadlock, Graham should have increased their lead in the 29th minute. The Dutch forward sprung the offside trap to deliver a tempting cut-back, but Graham allowed Gary Miller to block his poor attempt.
Edwards tested Fox with a curling effort from 20 yards, but it was Pogba who came closest to scoring for Thistle.
The striker’s header from an Abdul Osman cross in the first minute of the second half looked like producing an equaliser until Fox turned the ball away.
The keeper was also required to show bravery to deny the visitors in the 59th minute when he threw himself at the feet of the advancing Booth. Then he thwarted substitute Kris Doolan.
At the other end, Thistle keeper Ryan Scully saved from Schalk.
Partick boss Alan Archibald did his best to seek out positives from the wreckage of a defeat that was sore to take, given the overall cost of losing.
He said: ‘It was in our own hands and to lose a scrappy goal like we did is frustrating. But credit to the lads, they recovered and threw everything at Ross County.
‘Our aim now is to finish seventh, which would be progression for the club.’