Partick Thistle 3 Queen’s Park 0

After having to change his outfield line-up for every game so far this season due to injuries Callum Davidson was able to select the same ten however there was a change between the sticks.
Jack Wills, who joined the club in January on-loan from St Johnstone before signing permanently in the summer, was given his first start in place of Calum Ferrie, who was suspended following his late dismissal in the win at Airdrieonians last weekend.

Dom Thomas, who along with Jack Turner were the only two Black and White shirted players to start when the sides met in Glasgow’s West End back in January, kicked the game off.

The Spiders were defending the goal in front of the North Stand which housed the self-proclaimed ‘Jag Army’ who were cheering loudly on two minutes when Brian Graham had an opening, however an offside flag quietened things.

Zak Rudden won a corner on five minutes and Roddy MacGregor’s low delivery, and a dummy from Rudden, looked to have created a chance however the home defence cleared.

Referee Kirkland tried to play an advantage after Stuart Bannigan went through the back of Thomas 30 yards from the home goal four minutes later, and when the whistle was eventually blown, the dead ball did not cause the hosts any problems.

Thistle earned their first corner on 11 minutes, and it led to the opening goal as Harry Milne rose above the traffic on the six yard line to nod in Kyle Turner’s delivery.

Both goalkeepers were involved shortly afterwards in similar situations with Wills clearing well from 25 yards out and Myles Roberts getting a let-off when his miscued kick fell to a team-mate as opposed to the lurking Rudden.

Ryan Duncan was tripped in a dangerous position close to the right wing on 22 minutes and the on-loan Aberdeen man whipped in a left footed cross free-kick that was clutched by Roberts.

Duncan sent over a much more threatening ball two minutes later with MacGregor an inch away from connecting.

On 32 minutes Milne threatened again, this time on the ground, with a 20-yard low drive that Wills watched carefully as it slipped wide of goal with a sliding Graham unable to add a touch.

Wills rose confidently and grabbed an in-swinging free-kick under pressure sixty seconds later and as play raced to the other end Rudden sent over a ball that Roberts held without a challenge from a Queen’s player.

Two minutes from the break Niko Ujdur timed a sliding challenge to perfection as he took the ball off Aidan Fitzpatrick’s toes just as the Thistle man looked set to cut the ball back from the touch-line.

Half time – Partick Thistle 1 Queen’s Park 0

Ninety seconds into the restart a delightful pass from Duncan looked to have released Turner however Roberts raced from his goal to cut out the danger only to handle outside the left-hand side of his box.

After the shot-stopper was booked for his troubles, Duncan tapped the free-kick to Thomas who tried his luck with an angled drive that cleared Roberts’ goal.

Queen’s probed again on 48 minutes as Rudden cut the ball back only for his pass to find no takers from the visitors.

Henry Fieldson held his ground well in a field race with Logan Chalmers four minutes to sweep the ball clear and end a dangerous Thistle break.
With ten minutes gone in the second half James Lyon pounced on a poor Queen’s pass and bore down on Wills’ goal before sending a shot inches wide.

On the hour mark Sean Welsh was replaced by Josh Hinds who moved to right wing-back with Duncan switching into central midfield.

Two minutes later QP had their best opening so far when Josh Scott cut in from the left and teed up Thomas who stung the palms of Roberts with a fierce 20-yard drive.

On 64 minutes Queen’s carved out another chance when Rudden twisted and turned before being felled a couple of inches outside of the box.

The dead-ball from the resultant free-kick was teased into the path of Turner with the home wall standing firm and blocking.

Wills kept out Milne on 70 minutes after the Thistle man broke free down the left at the expense of a corner.

After a home substitution, the corner was worked into the path of Fitzpatrick 20 yards from goal, and he sent a shot goalward that hit Ujdur on the heel and deflected past a helpless Wills for a second Thistle goal.

Queen’s looked to work their way back into the game and a surge by Thomas earned a corner although no danger threatened from the set-piece.

Ninety seconds from ninety minutes a Thistle corner was cleared to the edge of the box where it was met by a volley from Zander MacKenzie that went flashing past Wills to make 3-0.

A late offside flag denied Thistle a fourth from a close-range header from Terry Ablade.

Queen’s Park – Jack Wills, Nikola Ujdur, Dane Murray, Henry Fieldson (Tyrece McDonnell 90), Ryan Duncan (Liam McLeish 73), Sean Welsh (Josh Hinds 60), Jack Turner (Louis Longridge 90), Roddy MacGregor, Josh Scott, Dom Thomas, Zak Rudden.
Unused substitutes – Sam Kane (G/k), Cameron Kerr, Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, Magnus Mackenzie, Aiden McGinlay.

Partick Thistle – Myles Roberts, Casper Nilsson (Wasiri Williams 87), Harry Milne, Kyle Turner, Stuart Bannigan, Brian Graham (Lee Ashcroft 80), Logan Chalmers (Terry Ablade 80), Luke McBeth, Daniel O’Reilly, Aidan Fitzpatrick (Liam Smith 87), James Lyon (Zander MacKenzie 71).
Unused substitutes – Mason McCready, Charlie Sayers, Ricco Diack.

Referee – Steven Kirkland