Partick 1-0 Inverness CT: Match Report

21 March 2015 17:31

Partick strike late to claim spoils

Partick Thistle recorded consecutive league victories for the first time since March 2013 with a 1-0 win over Inverness at Firhill.

The Maryhill men claimed their third league win of the season over the visitors in what was a poor spectacle for the most part in the spring sunshine.

A single goal by Steven Lawless six minutes from time was enough to give the Jags the three points as they gave their survival hopes another boost after their convincing win over St Johnstone last week.

There was little in the way of goalmouth action in the early stages as both sides seemed to struggle with the bumpy surface, but Inverness finally registered the game's first attempt on target after quarter of an hour. Marley Watkins threw himself at Josh Meeking's delivery from the left but headed too close to Scott Fox who made a routine save.

Partick had a series of early corners, and when one was cleared back out to taker Stuart Bannigan his second attempt at a cross gave Kris Doolan a decent sight of goal, but the forward could only direct his header over the bar.

The game was turning into a scrappy affair, and that was typified by a slip from Frederic Frans that allowed Watkins to run in behind on the left flank, the forward's attempted centre being blocked behind for a corner. Greg Tansey's delivery had Fox flapping at the ball, and the Thistle keeper was fortunate that there were no takers behind him as the ball slipped from his grasp.

The home side finally brought a save from Ryan Esson after half an hour, James Craigen bursting through from midfield into the area and shooting low to force the diving save from the visiting keeper at his near post.

Ryan Stevenson had a sight of goal as the game approached half-time, Stephen O'Donnell's long throw into the box causing problems for the Inverness defence before falling kindly to the forward around the penalty spot, but his net-bound effort was bravely blocked by Gary Warren.

The crowd were muted due to the poor standard of fare on offer, but Stevenson tried to lift things at the start of the second period by firing a thunderous free-kick effort from 25 yards that Esson had to help over the bar.

Lawless then did well to win the ball from Meekings in a good position before sliding a pass through to Doolan inside the box, but the striker failed to control and the ball ran away from him just enough to allow the retreating Inverness defence to clear.

Stevenson showed good determination to retrieve the ball after initially giving it away before feeding Callum Booth, who drove at the heart of the Inverness defence before flashing a decent effort across Esson and just past the post.

Thistle were starting to slowly take a grip of proceedings, and another couple of corners caused some problems for the visitors before Esson managed to gather O'Donnell's looping effort after a spot of juggling on his goal-line.

Inverness were missing a clinical edge, and that was summed up as Watkins outmuscled Frans before advancing on the area and failing to spot a great run from substitute Aaron Doran that would have had him in the clear, the forward eventually being crowded out.

Stevenson nearly provided the long-awaited breakthrough as he collected a lay-off on the edge of the Inverness area and bent a lovely left-foot effort just over the top right-hand corner of Esson's goal.

Just went it looked as though the match would end goalless, up popped Lawless to finally give the long-suffering crowd something to cheer about with a great finish after 84 minutes. Substitute Lyle Taylor laid the ball into Lawless's path 20 yards from goal and the diminutive forward arrowed a left-foot effort into the bottom left-hand corner beyond the despairing dive of Esson.

Inverness threw Edward Ofere on as they bombarded the Partick box in the final few minutes, but the home rearguard - led by Conrad Balatoni on his 150th appearance for the club - held out to claim a crucial three points.


Source: PA