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ROSS COUNTY 3; Partick Th 2 |
Everyone was smiling bar Ross County’s accountants after Steven Hislop’s double - including a glorious 30-yard finish - completed a superb comeback against the morning’s joint First Division leaders.
Hislop, a summer acquisition under freedom of contract, is likely to be the subject of a transfer tribunal after the Dingwall side failed to agree a fee with East Stirlingshire for the 21 year-old player.
Current rules dictate that County pay some sort of fee, and their young striker seems to be doing his utmost to raise his new club’s modest valuation.
There could hardly have been a more disastrous start for Neale Cooper’s men, with two goals lost in the first four minutes suggesting that an avalanche in Partick’s favour was a strong possibility.
For Partick, chasing a return to the Premier League for the first time since 1996, this result will have, at least temporarily, subdued the growing air of confidence they were experiencing after an entertaining and free-scoring start to the season. They swung the ball about purposefully and at speed at the outset - and took the lead after just two minutes.
A ball in from the far right found Derek Fleming free to head home at close range with County’s defence caught ball-watching.
Just two minutes later, the visitors were two up - much to the delight of their impressive travelling support - after Gerry Britton claimed his ninth goal of the season with another point-blank header from Fleming’s corner.
Ross County seemed to be offering little in terms of attacking guile but, out of the blue, Alex BONE clawed one back on 20 minutes with an angled finish from the corner of the box, which slipped under the goalkeeper’s body.
After a series of squandered chances at both ends, the Dingwall side were deservedly level in 38 minutes with a spectacular contender for goal of the season from young Hislop.
A clumsy collision between Jamie Dolan and Derek Fleming gave HISLOP the freedom to surge forward and, from fully 30 yards, he almost tore the top corner of the net.
Within four minutes of the re-start County were in front. Richard Hastings combined with Hugh Robertson on the left, and the Canadian’s cross found HISLOP heading his second to seal victory.
Ross County: Bullock; Perry, Maxwell, Hastings, Irvine, Webb, McQuade (Boukraa, 46), Ferguson, Bone, Hislop (S McKay, 84) and Robertson. Unused Subs: Cowie, Dlugonski and Trialist.
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Partick Thistle 0; ROSS COUNTY 0 |
County 'keeper Tony Bullock seems thoroughly at ease in a horizontal position, most usually as he tips a goal-bound shot around the post for a corner.
So it was entirely appropriate that the Englishman, already a cult favourite with County fans for his displays this season, whould spend the duration of the bus journey to Firhill lying flat on his back!
Whether he should have made the journey at all remains debateable. Bullock, riddled with 'flu by Saturday mornig, refused to accept doctors' orders and took his place in the County line up.
It was just as well for County that he did. Having been sent into isolation with a pillow for comfort on the back seat of the County coach, the big 'keeper shook off his slumber to turn in a brilliant display of goalkeeping - just as he had against Rangers.
Bullock must have felt under the weather throughout the ninety minutes but this was an equally uncomfortable match at times for the County side as a whole.
Partick looked the livlier from the outset, coming close in six minutes through Martin Hardie who sent a delicate curling shot just wide of Bullock's upright.
Just after the 20 minute mark Paul Deas let fly with a twenty-yard effort, but it flew just wide of the target.
The best opportunity of the first half fell to Thistle stalwart Gerry Britton who somehow scooped the ball over the bar from five or six yards out.
Bullock came into his own after the break, first preventing a 53rd minute opener from Britton before matching the brillint save with another on the rebound from Paul Walker.
There were two further blocks on the lively Britton accreditable to Bullock's reflexes and the 'keeper's best efforts helped createa destructive frustration in the Thistle ranks.
County had their share of chances but there were some leaden legs in the ranks following their exertions from mid-week against Rangers.
The final miss of the game fell to Drek Fleming, on the rebound from yet another Bullock save, but again the attempt was skied.
Ross County: Bullock; Perry, Irvine, Maxwell, Hastings, S McKay, Anselin, Boukraa (Gethins), Robertson, Hislop (Tarrant) and Bone (McCormick). Unused Subs: Gonet (gk) and Webb.
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ROSS COUNTY 0; Partick Thistle 1 |
This was a real test for John Lambie's top-of-the table side and despite the close nature of the game they passed the test with flying colours. In a division where even the most ambitious soothsayer would shy away from predictions, Partick are becoming a fair bet for promotion.
For County, the miserable outcome was scant reward for a gritty display which might have earned them a draw had their luck been in. They lacked the guile and creative spark that might have made the difference.
It proved a real battle of wits at a boggy Victoria Park which only passed two pitch inspections beforehand. Add to that a staved-off half time floodlight failure, and it seems that someone is smiling on the Maryhill Magyars.
Lambie had been careful to fully warn his men that County, facing serious relegation danger, would be fired up for the tussle. They proved wise words and County, frustratingly capable of troubling Rangers yet flopping against Arbroath, gave the visitors a big fright.
Thistle were out to avenge their 3-2 defeat at Dingwall in September which saw them squander a two-goal lead earned in the first three minutes. Partick's early energy must have unsettled County in light of their last meeting.
Fortunately for them the pressure saw Danny Lennon blast high over the bar. County hit back in six minutes when a low Hugh Robertson ball from the left presented Alex Bone with a glimpse at goal only for the striker to hit the ball against Paul Deas.
Partick were holding sway in terms of possession in midfield without seriously worrying County 'keeper Tony Bullock. But it was County who came close to opening the scoring in 22 minutes when Bone and Robertson combuned again but this time the striker's head flick went just wide.
Partick then forced a corner with Bullock saving at McLean's feet and the 'keeper had to look lively to punch away Fleming's kick. After that, Fleming fired in a great cross from the left side but Constantine took an air swipe with the goal gaping.
County produced some better attacking play before the half hour mark with the Jags pinned deep in their own half, only to fall behind soon after.
Right on 30 minutes, Martin Hardie broke the deadlock, pouncing on the rebound three yards out after a Lennon header had been parried by Bullock.
Just before the interval, neat control by Steve Ferguson on the edge of the box, from a Connor Gethins pass, set him up for a shot which was heading for the top corner until Kenny Arthur's fingertips intervened.
The half time lights failure meant the hospitality sections savoured their sanwiches and lemonade in the dark, and the mood didn't lighten much for County in the second half.
Partick seemed determined to sit in and hold their lead but County came close to levelling matters in the 52nd minute.
A Brian Irvine cross from the right was touched on by Gethins and flew off Steve Craigan's leg before 'keeper Arthur touched it round the post.
County were nothing if not determined but seemed to lack the finess to find a way through the Partick defence.
In 70 minutes, a poor clearance by Arthur fell staright to Bone, but last week's scorer took too long and the ball was cleared to safety for a corner.
Former Norwich midfielder Cederic Anselin, on as an attacking replacement for Irvine, struck a shot just over the bar with 15 minutes left, but County seemed to be running out of ideas.
Anselin was working hard to create an opening for County but, with nine men behind the ball, Partick held on for a vital victory.
Ross County: Bullock (Gonzalez, 89); Perry, Lilley (Boukraa, 77), Maxwell, Irvine (Anselin, 67), Cowie, Gethins, Ferguson, Bone, Hislop and Robertson. Unused Subs: Prest and Webb.
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Partick Thistle 1; ROSS COUNTY 1 |
Now that Thistle have gained a stand, the hope must be that they stand to gain from it. Only the most cautious of fans would deny that they are certainties to secure promotion in the weeks ahead, but there was precious little to suggest that they are as equipped for it on the pitch as they are off it.
Their workmanlike struggle against Ross County, in which they emerged relieved that they hadn’t lost, left many wondering whether SPL chief executive Roger Mitchell didn’t have a point; more than a few of those who paid to get in would rather have been smoking dope than watching this. Ross County’s opener had been unexpected, against the run of play and certainly out of the blue, but the Thistle equaliser just a few seconds later was fortunate in its timing.
Neale Cooper’s disciplined side are now unbeaten in 11 matches. Few clubs better epitomise the unpredictable logjam of the First Division than Ross County. The Dingwall side headed for Maryhill yesterday in the uncertain knowledge that they could claim to be both third in the league and only seven points clear of the relegation zone. County, though, produced little to suggest that they were among the division’s top performers.
Thistle may still be some way short of claiming their place in the Premier League, but this was an occasion on which they signalled their readiness for the top flight, off the pitch at least. The new North Stand, which takes Firhill’s capacity beyond the 10,000 required for SPL membership, gleamed in the sunlight yesterday before a healthy crowd of glory-hunters anxious to see their team shake off a curious inconsistency of late.
Much of that, if the manager is to be believed, can be attributed to fatigue. John Lambie has been complaining in that refined way of his that his players are knackered after a punishing Scottish Cup schedule in which they have played Dundee twice, Inverness Caledonian Thistle twice and Rangers in the semi-final. That, at least, was the excuse for his team’s defeat by Clyde midweek. It is perhaps typical of the perverse logic for which Lambie is renowned that he should address exhaustion by dropping the goalkeeper. One can only assume that Kenny Arthur, replaced by Kevin Budinauckas, was guilty only of mental weariness. He wasn’t the only one.
Thistle’s performance in the opening half-hour was the kind you might expect of a team who have been adjusting to terra firma after the dizzying heights of Hampden and Rangers. The home side were more than willing, but they lacked incision to the extent that even their manager must have learned a thing or two from them about bluntness. That centre-forward Martin Cameron managed to provide the greatest goal threat despite shoddy service from the wing-backs was a tribute to his perseverance. It is refreshing, and a little sobering, to see this shaven-headed striker back on the scene. It is not so long ago that the big man, now on loan from Bristol Rovers, was banging in the goals for Alloa Athletic and being hailed as a future star.
He certainly knows how to put himself about. How referee John Underhill permitted him to bundle over Martin Canning from behind and then curl a shot just beyond the far post was one of the afternoon’s unsolved mysteries.
The other was Ross County goalkeeper Tony Bullock, who seemed to produce sound saves, unnecessary flaps and fresh-air clearances in equal measure.
Twice in the first half he dived low to his right to thwart Thistle. In between missing a cross and fluffing a kick a-la-Barthez, the County goalkeeper first produced a smart parry to deny a Cameron snap-shot and then came up with a similar effort to deny Scott McLean. It had been a venomous shot by the Thistle striker, who is on antibiotics to combat a poisonous leg.
Thistle wouldn’t be Thistle without a few colourful stories to brighten their line-up. McLean, remember, is the guy who had packed his bags in anticipation of a move to Derby County until it transpired that he had been the subject of an internet wheeze. Ross County, though, could do with a striker of his ability.
Their forays into the penalty area were rare and so ineffectual that they took to sending Brian Irvine up the pitch. That the former Aberdeen and Dundee defender, now 36, was expected to solve the problem was an indication of its gravity. However, he did manage to head-flick on a Canning throw-in that induced unlikely panic in the Thistle defence.
He also won the free-kick that led to County’s unexpected opener. After being barged to the ground by Scott Paterson some 25 yards from goal, County defender Hugh ROBRTSON stepped up to thunder a left-foot shot into the bottom left-hand corner. It was the only way County were going to find the net.
Thistle’s response was immediate. Robertson had barely completed his celebration when Martin Hardie spotted a knockdown by Cameron and spun his body into a position from which he could deliver a low drive into the net. There was anger as well as relief in the stands where the feeling had grown that the home side didn’t have it in them to score.
Thistle’s occasional raids decreased in frequency as a frustrating, scrap of a match stubbornly refused to open up. That one of their best efforts in a depressing second half tested the goalkeeper only by accident was an indication of how untidy proceedings had become. When Paddy Kelly steamed in at the back post to meet Alan Archibald’s searching cross, the best he could do was nudge his rib cage at it and enable Budinauckas to tip it over the top.
The referee made rather a mockery of the oohs and aahs by ruling that it wouldn’t have counted anyway thanks to a foul by Robertson.
Ross County: Bullock, Perry, Robertson, Maxwell, Irvine, Gilbert, Canning (Webb), Ferguson, Bone (Gethins), McCormick (Hislop) and Hastings. Unused Subs: Fridge (gk) and Cowie.
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