Firhill result puts Aberdeen deeper in trouble Smith fumbles as Thistle fight back

IAN PAUL

5 Apr 1995

Partick Thistle 3, Hearts 1

WITH one bound they were free, off the bottom of the premier table for the first time in four months.

Is there no end to Thistle's cheek? Hearts would tell you with some passion that there is not.

The bottom team had not been seriously in the contest for more than an hour when 39-year-old Henry Smith, deputising for injured keeper Craig Nelson, made a dreadful mess of a simple save and allowed Steve Pittman's shot to go into the net to level the scores.

That galvanised the Firhill workers and from then on there was only one side playing for keeps.

In that first half Hearts had appeared comfortable with the goal scored by John Millar early on.

But once the locals went into overdrive, Hearts had nothing left to offer.

Rod McDonald shot Thistle into the lead and Derek McWilliams added No.3 before the end.

Now Thistle are above Aberdeen and closing in on the rest.

They can't really be going to escape, can they?

Manager John Lambie warned, however, that Thistle must keep their feet on the ground.

"I thought that in the first half we were a disgrace and shocking, but they didn't capitalise on their 1-0 lead.

We deserved to win in the second half and we got a break with Pittman's goal, although it did take a heck of a bend.

"We have to keep our feet on the ground because if we think that's it, we're in for problems.

We're still in trouble but this brings a couple of teams nearer us."

His opposite number, Tommy McLean, said: "We were well in control of the game until we lost that goal.

Individual mistakes cost us the game.

I would have expected my goalkeeper to save that first goal."

Thistle's game plan was knocked awry early, since Hearts took the lead within seven minutes.

Thistle were remarkably lax in their own goal area when David Hagen's cross from the left reached the danger zone.

Neither keeper Nicky Walker nor two of his defensive colleagues offered any real challenge to Millar when he rose to head comfortably high into the net from about eight yards.

Thistle tried to come back quickly but found the Hearts defence, with the powerful Craig Levein and Dave McPherson at its centre, very difficult to out-manoeuvre.

However, as they neared half-time, Thistle suddenly raised their game and Foster did well to turn on a cross from Ian Cameron and hit the ball firmly but over the bar.

That encouraged the home gang, and there was noise about the old stadium for the first time.

Hearts kept Robertson inside at the break, bringing on Kevin Thomas, who soon was booked for deliberately handling the ball.

Thistle made a substitution in 54 minutes, Alex Taylor coming on for Tommy Turner.

They had more of the play by now, but they made few real chances.

When the Jags' breakthrough did come, in 63 minutes, it was down to a blunder by Smith.

When the ball broke out to Pittman following a corner on the right, the full back hit it well enough towards goal, but Smith was perfectly placed to grasp the ball to his body.

Instead, he allowed it to bounce off his hand to land behind him and over the line.

Hagen was booked for a foul on McKee as a game that had been relatively tame suddenly sprang to life.

The Maryhill lot were now on the march and it was no big surprise when they went in front after 74 minutes.

Foster did the leading-up work, laying the ball to his right for McDonald, who beat Colin Miller cleverly before touching the ball past the outrushing Smith.

With 11 minutes left both sides threw on subs, Hearts replacing Miller with Gary Mackay and Thistle putting on Roger Eli for McDonald.

It made no difference, nothing was getting in the way of a Partick win now.

They came up with their third goal two minutes later.

This time it was a cross from Albert Craig which set up the chance for McWilliams to head home.

PARTICK THISTLE -- Walker, McKee, Pittman, Watson, Welsh, Turner, McDonald, Craig, Foster, Cameron, McWilliams.

Substitutes -- Taylor, Eli, Cairns.

HEARTS -- Smith, Wishart, Miller, Levein, Bett, McPherson, Colquhoun, Hamilton, Robertson, Millar, Hagen.

Substitutes -- Thomas, Mackay, O'Connor.

Referee -- J McCluskey (Stewarton).

Taken from the Herald