Thistle power into top gear as early red stalls Staggies
ON the day when a new Low Emission Zone came into effect for motorists on the streets of Glasgow, Partick Thistle kept the pedal to the metal in their push towards the Premiership.
The men from Maryhill are now just one step from the promised land after hitting top gear once again last night in this play-off final to leave Ross County choking on their exhaust fumes.
Kris Doolan’s side came into this on a wave of confidence after rattling in 16 goals across their four previous play-off games.
County were supposed to represent a step up in class from the likes of Queen’s Park and Ayr United, but Thistle made light work of them.
Even before a 17th-minute red card to County’s 16-year-old defender Dylan Smith, the Jags had already established their authority and looked more akin to a top-flight outfit.
It was a baptism of fire for Smith, who was making only his sixth start in senior football, but his dismissal was only a minor detail in a dominant display from Thistle.
On a night when Firhill got its first taste of VAR, it was County who were sending out the SOS signals as they look to preserve their Premiership status.
The only real saving grace for Malky Mackay’s side is perhaps the fact that they only face a two-goal deficit ahead of Sunday’s second leg in Dingwall.
But, on the evidence of what Thistle have produced over these past few weeks, they will be strongly fancied to finish the job in the Highlands. The momentum they now have is impossible to ignore as they seek to end their five-year exile from the top flight.
First-half goals from Aidan Fitzpatrick and Brian Graham were enough to get the job done last night, with Thistle now in pole position to become the first team to finish fourth in the Championship and then go all the way in the play-offs.
Given that they have been running like a well-oiled machine of late, it was no surprised to see Jags boss Doolan stick with the same team that battered Ayr United 5-0 at Somerset Park last Friday night.
His County counterpart, however, didn’t have that luxury. Mackay made four changes to the side which lost 3-1 at Kilmarnock on the final day of the league campaign last Sunday.
David Cancola, Nohan Kenneh, Keith Watson and Alex Iacovitti all dropped out, with Owura Edwards, Jordan Tillson, Victor Loturi and Smith coming in. Even as early as the fifth minute, it looked like it might well be a tough night for the youngster. Smith made it far too easy for Stevie Lawless to cut inside from the right and work an angle on his favoured left foot. Lawless let fly but his shot was saved down low by County keeper Ross Laidlaw. If that should have served as an early warning to the visitors, it was one which they failed to heed as Thistle went in front after just nine minutes.
It was almost a carbon-copy of the Lawless effort, only this time it was Fitzpatrick cutting inside on the opposite side of the pitch.
After Fitzpatrick had skipped inside past Edwards and Loturi, he had the poise and composure to pick his spot quite brilliantly, curling a delightful shot into the far corner via a slight deflection for 1-0.
County looked rattled. Their nervousness was typified in the incident which saw Smith sent off on 17 minutes.
The youngster was clumsy and had a wild swipe as he attempted to dispossess Fitzpatrick, with the Thistle attacker set to race through on goal had he not been upended. Referee David Munro initially gave it as a yellow card, but that was duly upgraded to red after consulting VAR. It was rash in the extreme from Smith.
Mackay reacted immediately by sacrificing striker Alex Samuel for defensive reinforcements in the form of Watson.
Yet, truth be told, County were struggling to stem the flow even when they had a full complement of players on the pitch.
The artistry of Lawless and his left peg was becoming a prominent feature of the match. He was peeling away on the right flank and piercing the County defence with some lovely through-balls.
County’s best chance came just after the half-hour when Watson met a Yan Dhanda cross but was unable to get enough purchase on his header to direct it goalward. Thistle duly doubled their advantage on the cusp of half-time when veteran striker Graham continued his prolific form.
Kyle Turner whipped the ball into the box and, almost with his back to goal, Graham managed to arch himself round to guide a brilliant volley beyond Laidlaw.
Only a desperate last-ditch block from Watson prevented Graham from making it 3-0 as the referee blew for half-time.
Having spent much of the night chasing shadows, it was clear that the second half would be an exercise in damage limitation for County.
Graham, who now has five goals in his last four games, almost added another in the second half after a lovely exchange of passes
with Scott Tiffoney. Laidlaw had to make an excellent save right at the death as he clawed a shot from Thistle substitute Danny Mullen on to the crossbar.
The quality of finishing for Thistle’s two goals had been superb, but that lethal touch just deserted them slightly as the match wore on.
But you suspect they will have plenty left in the tank for when these teams reconvene on Sunday afternoon.