Archibald fears are unfounded as Jags run riot
ALL that anxiety over injuries, a lack of signings and this round-robin stage of the Betfred Cup creating more headaches than it is worth. All rather unnecessary.
Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald claimed pre-match that he has lost all enthusiasm for the reboot of the competition that won his favour last season — thanks to a squad left short due to injuries and the loss of players such as Liam Lindsay, Sean Welsh and Ade Azeez over the summer.
However, even though captain Abdul Osman was sent off just before the hour following his own return from the treatment table, this was a display to lighten even the darkest mood.
Thistle were terrific at times, linking nicely up front, playing some quick one-touch football and running out easy winners thanks to two goals each from Stevie Lawless and Blair Spittal and an early opener from Kris Doolan.
There is still no guarantee of catching Livingston at the top of Group H, but this did look like a team beginning to click — albeit against a St Mirren side that was toothless, gutless and completely humiliated by the end.
When Spittal produced a wonderful free-kick to make it 4-0 before the break, it looked like being a cricket score.
Signed from Dundee United, the 21-year-old is fitting into the system nicely with Archibald more than pleased with what he is seeing so far.
‘I tried to get Spitts in before when he was at Queen’s Park,’ said the manager.
‘He just needs to find his best position. His versatility maybe went against him when he was at United and he was moved about, but he’s a great set-piece player and that’s something we’ve not had for a couple of years.
‘I hope he brings creativity. We can’t keep relying on Kris to get the goals all the time and, if he can chip in with five or six goals too, it would make all the difference.
‘Our front four players caused a lot of problems for St Mirren.
‘Some of their one-touch play was exquisite at times.’
Doolan started the rout after just 12 minutes. He benefited from a spot of bagatelle in the area to move on to a knockdown from Spittal and slip the ball past Ross Stewart from close range amid claims for offside.
Number two came midway through the first half when Lawless stole in from the left flank unmarked to rifle a low drive past the keeper and the diminutive attacker ended it as a contest shortly afterwards with a terrific effort.
Callum Booth fed the ball inside to him from wide left and his firsttime, left-footed shot from around 22 yards found the corner again.
Not to be outdone, Spittal produced something even more spectacular.
With Jack Baird having fouled him more than 20 yards out, he bent a terrific right-footed effort from the set-piece past Stewart’s despairing dive.
St Mirren must have harboured some hopes of damage limitation when Osman was sent off by referee Stephen Finnie just before the hour, picking up a second yellow card for a bad foul on Stephen McGinn in the centre of the park.
Thistle duly won the ball back from the free-kick, though, and broke upfield to make it five with Spittal producing a low finish from a Chris Erskine cross from the left.
‘We were desperately poor,’ said St Mirren manager Jack Ross.
‘We have two weeks to try to rectify that before the start of the league campaign, which is our priority.
‘It was down to a lack of doing the fundamentals.’