Partick Thistle look for victory against Queen of the South
NOT exactly back on track — but not completely out of it either. That sums up the strange position Partick Thistle are in this week after they threw themselves a promotion lifeline of sorts by beating high-flying Ross County.
The 2-1 victory ended a dismal run by the Maryhill men and held out hope that maybe — just maybe — they can stay in the reckoning for an SPL place during the run-in.
Partick now sit fourth in the table, tied on points with Inverness and one behind County, both of whom have games in hand over the Jags.
Ian McCall's team are eight points behind leaders Dundee, who have played one less game than them and it would take a spectacular collapse by the Taysiders for any team to catch them now, especially Thistle.
However, the team are taking a never say die approach as they look ahead to Saturday's visit to Queen of the South, the first of a string of four away matches.
Looking back on the Ross County game, McCall said: "I thought that was a well deserved and well merited victory. I thought that there was a period of about ten minutes after we scored a second goal when I thought that we looked like on going on to score a few more goals.
"If there was one thing that disappointed me, and it has been a complaint all season, is that again we didn't cut open the opposition defence when we had the opportunity to do so.
"There were a few occasions when we failed to do that when we had the chance to create a goal scoring opportunity.
"County put us under some pressure in the latter stages after they scored right out of the blue and pushed a lot of bodies forward that caused us problems. There is a tendency to sit too deep when you are under pressure and we were guilty of doing that at times.
"I must praise the keepers of both teams. Both made some excellent saves. Michael McGovern to keep out a Simon Donnelly shot and Jonny Tuffey made a great save right at the start of the second half. If that had gone in it really would have been game on at that point.
"I thought Liam Buchanan had an excellent game and after his goal I think there is a real chance that he will go on a wee run of goals now.
"He linked up well with Steve Lovell and Simon Donnelly when he came on. We have good strikers at this club but they hadn't been performing of late but they were excellent against County."
Buchanan said he will now take a renewed confidence into Saturday's Borders battle, adding: "The win over County has given us the chance to use it as a launchpad and really push on and Queens is another big opportunity on Saturday.
"We know that if we can win these games then at the same time as putting points on the board for us, it will hurt the other sides.
"So we know what we have got to do because with 11 games left there is little room for error."
Thistle are on the road again in midweek with a visit to Ayr United's Somerset Park on Wednesday.
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Weather for Milngavie
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Light sleet showers
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 4 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
