Partick Thistle 0-0 Hearts

Alan Campbell at Firhill

GIVEN the uncertainty at both clubs, a replay at Tynecastle on Wednesday week was not the worst outcome of this stalemate at Firhill. This was grey and often grim, but many such days may have to be endured before salad days return to Thistle and Hearts.

The new Thistle management team of Dick Campbell and Jimmy Bone, who with a combined age of 106 could not be accused of lacking experience, witnessed an honest display. Campbell was particularly happy with his defence, but admitted a lot of work lies ahead.

John Robertson, at the end of a dreadful week, was as unhappy with his strikers as Campbell had been pleased with his defenders. Having failed to woo Stevie Crawford, there may be more targets than Bristol City’s Lee Miller.

The manager had reminded his players before kick off that two years ago, at this same stage of the cup, Hearts visited Brockville and were four goals down after 23 minutes. Then, though, the Jambos had been playing a Falkirk side flying high on top of the First Division; Thistle have just hired their fifth manager in as much time in an attempt to prevent a second successive relegation.

The temporary reinstatement of John Lambie settled the ship, but nobody outwith the Thistle faithful expected a shock despite the continuing woes of Hearts. The main priority of Campbell and Bone this season is to keep Thistle away from what outgoing chairman Tom Hughes described as the “Armageddon” prospect of the Second Division.

The new manager kept faith with the side Lambie had selected against St Mirren last weekend, but his opposite number had changes forced upon him by Hearts’ parlous position. With Mark de Vries off to Leicester, Kevin McKenna came in as the physical act to partner Graham Weir, while Jamie McAllister dropped to left back as a replacement for the other Levein signing, Alan Maybury.

The biggest loss for Robertson on a grimly cold and squally afternoon, though, was his midfield playmaker Paul Hartley, who was suspended. With his natural replacement, Michael Stewart, injured, Dennis Wyness and Phil Stamp filled the berth.

Both teams have been plagued by lack of pace this season, and predictably there was much plodding about the first half proceedings on a heavy pitch. Jamie Mitchell, Thistle’s evergreen midfielder, and McKenna had early chances but both slipped past.

Robertson’s preference for a passing game was evident as Hearts tried to build from the back, but the recast midfield provided little decent fodder for the strikers, who in any case looked blunt.

Thistle, despite having less possession, created the best chances with their small midfielders taking advantage of gravity on the slippery surface. Derek Fleming curled a 22-yard free-kick just past Craig Gordon’s post, and then the Hearts keeper and his defence had an even closer escape.

Thistle’s strikers showed a flash of inspiration in the 35th minute when Armand One drew four Hearts players before slipping the ball inside to Mitchell. He found Juan Escalas, but the Spaniard’s clever chip hit the outside of Gordon’s right hand post and went behind.

There wasn’t much else for the freezing crowd to enthuse about, but at least the second half, if much more one-sided in favour of the visitors, provided better football.

Both sides introduced substitutes quickly and one of these, Ramon Pereira, provided a good opening for McKenna with a cross from the left. The Canadian caught it cleanly on the volley, but Adrian Madaschi blocked for a corner. From there, Joe Hamill nearly scored direct but Kenny Arthur tipped over for another set-piece. Again, the ball was swung dangerously into the Thistle box but this time Robbie Neilson fired over the bar.

Thistle had created absolutely zilch in the half, but with six minutes remaining the meddlesome One cut the ball back from the bye-line and Escalas agonisingly just failed to get a touch and provide the unexpected shock.

The last word went to Hearts, though. The portly Steve Fulton, who had come on at half time and immediately made the pitch look smaller, gave away a free kick, and from all of 40 yards Stamp struck a venomous shot which Arthur tipped over.

“It was a bit ambitious, to be honest, but I knew there was only a minute left and I struck it well,” Stamp said. We should beat them at Tynecastle with ease, but it’s disappointing we didn’t finish them off today.”

Stamp, who is one of a dozen players who will be out of contract in the summer, expressed his dismay at the predicament of the club. Robertson has been told he must make budget cuts of £1.2m next year if the proposed takeover by Vladimir Romanov doesn’t go through.

“I feel sorry for the manager,” he pointed out. “He’s just lost two of his best players and it must be an impossible job for him. I’ll probably leave in the summer myself, although I’ve been happy here.”

09 January 2005

Taken from the Sunday Herald