THISTLE FIND THEIR ATTACKING EDGE TO CLIMB OFF BOTTOM
THE much-anticipated weather bomb never materialised with any ferocity in this part of the Highlands but the aerial threat did land in the shape of Liam Lindsay and Kris Doolan headers. A second-half collapse by Ross County saw the Glasgow team leap off bottom spot and break a run of seven games without victory in quite some style. Chris Erskine added the third and Liam Boyce’s late reply was County’s last whimper on a blustery evening. Partick Thistle made the 365-mile round trip north knowing victory would hoist them off bottom spot. County were seeking to embed themselves more firmly in the top six ahead of pre-winter break matches against Celtic and local foes Inverness Caley Thistle. The Dingwall team had been building momentum towards the New Year with a steady improvement in results, culminating in a hard-earned victory over Aberdeen the previous weekend. But the six-game unbeaten run was always likely to be tested by the loss of Michael Gardyne until after the winter lay-off and Dutch defender Kenny van der Weg’s two-match ban. The visiting side started positively in terms of possession but it was County who offered the greatest early threat. With the wind behind them, Tim Chow and Christopher Routis both tried their luck from distance, under obvious instruction to test keeper Tomas Cerny in the conditions. Erskine produced Partick’s first flicker of a threat after 17 minutes as he swerved a very dangerous ball across the County box from the right wing. There was a surprising lack of clear attempts at goal in a lacklustre and nervous first period. But after 34 minutes, young Tony Dingwall did his level best to change the pattern with a strong, winding run but he fired a weak strike straight at Cerny from just outside the box as the goal opened up before him. Partick finally carved their first attempt on goal after 37 minutes. Erskine’s strike from just inside the box held real venom but home keeper Scott Fox reacted superbly, first to parry the effort away and then to get back to feet to clutch Ryan Edwards’ header from the follow up. Three minutes later, Partick threatened again with Callum Booth’s cross from the left catching the breeze
but finding Sean Welsh, who knocked his header high and wide of the target. Turning into the wind, County threatened soon after the re-start but Cerny came charging out to the edge of his box to deny Dow. But it was Partick who grasped the lead after 50 minutes after Steven Lawless strike spun off Andrew Davies for a corner. Welsh’s delivery from the right found Lindsay towering over everyone in the middle of the box to smash a header past Fox. County manager Jim McIntyre reacted immediately by taking off striker Craig Curran for Dutch frontman Alex Schalk. But the Staggies were in serious trouble after 62 minutes. A poor Booth corner was returned his way on the left as Lindsay slid in to dispossess Chow. Booth’s second cross was far better and Doolan rose to hammer another header past Fox. It was all over bar the shouting after 78 minutes as substitute Jonathan Franks lost the ball and Erskine wriggled past a couple of chances into the box before firing the ball ruthlessly into the County net. From a Marcus Fraser cross, Boyce nodded in a home consolation, but there was little chance of a revival.