Jags can draw on blank to move forward

NOT quite a giant slaying, but, for those who've watched Partick's downward spiral this season, holding anyone at bay for 90 minutes is something of an eyebrow raiser in itself.

That they did so against a Hearts team who have spent the last few seasons trying to establish themselves as the third force in the SPL, owed much to torrid underfoot conditions as well as a palpable lack of bite from the visitors.

It would be wrong, however, to dismiss the aggression and commitment that Dick Campbell's new charges showed and, given the spineless displays that this squad have produced in recent months, a 0-0 draw has to be viewed as a step in the right direction.

Having entered into the Firhill dugout for the first time, Campbell was relatively satisfied with what he saw, despite the turgid nature of the third-round contest.

"I feel the base is there," he said. "We didn't lose a goal and that's important because we lost a few goals this season, if you look at the league.

"There's plenty to work on. We restricted Hearts to a 40-yard shot from Phil Stamp with five minutes to go because my goalkeeper hasn't had a save to make.

"In terms of possession of the ball, Hearts were on top and I am annoyed at that. But there's an awful lot of work to do here and I would be disappointed if there wasn't.

"This is a big stadium, a nice pitch, a good atmosphere and a good crowd and the players have got to want to play here.

"The one thing they did do was give us every single thing they had and that's what you demand.

"We're still in the cup and we'll go to Tynecastle and have a go, but right now we start to focus on the next game.

"I am very happy with the commitment and the players have to take confidence from not losing a goal.

"We have worked hard this week. We worked for three days with them on the defensive side and a lot of it paid off, but we need to move forward a wee bit."

Neither team deserved to head towards the warm sanctuary of the dressing room at full-time with their name in the hat for the next round, because rarely was either defence genuinely troubled.

The official man of the match award was handed over to Thistle's Adrian Madaschi, but it was a strange choice.

Not that the Aussie didn't play well, but the decision implied that he had produced an industrious performance against Hearts' forward line.

In fact, without the creative influence of the suspended Paul Hartley and without the presence of Mark de Vries and Alan Maybury, Hearts toiled to squeeze through Thistle's defence.

The questionable system deployed by John Robertson failed to prise open Thistle's defence, mainly because Dennis Wyness - who was meant to support loan striker Kevin McKenna - got pulled so deep he was playing as a midfielder, while the two wide men, Joe Hamill and Graham Weir, were well policed by Thistle and had

little room to manoeuvre. The end result was that chances were few and far between.

"There weren't a lot of goal-scoring chances," admitted Campbell. "We had a couple in the first half, but it would be wrong to say we deserved to win the game.

"I'm just happy we didn't lose a goal and that gives us something to build on.

"I was disappointed about one or two aspects of the game in terms of our possession and retention of the ball. That comes with confidence and there's one or two of them lacking that, but they'll get another opportunity.

"The work is done on the training pitch and the way your team plays has got to echo the type of manager that there is."

While Madaschi coped well and generally looked resolute alongside Grant Murray, the biggest problem for Hearts wasn't a defender but the burly physique of Armand One, who gave Steven Pressley and Andy Webster a few uncomfortable moments.

The most awkward came in the opening half when One, Jamie Mitchell and Derek Fleming worked a corner into the path of Juan Escales, who clipped the outside of the post, while earlier Mitchell had slashed a shot just wide.

The closest Hearts came to scoring was in the second period when McKenna hit the side-netting, but there were no glaring chances to rue on the road back to Gorgie.

The replay is a week on Wednesday at Tynecastle and you would have to fancy that Hearts will pack a more formidable punch then.

Campbell has revealed that, given the precarious state Thistle are in in terms of their league position, he expects some funds will be made available to him should they be required for reinforcements.

He said: "I'm positive that if I identify - which I am in the process of doing - players I think will do a job for Partick Thistle, then the board will back me.

"They know what's at stake," he added ominously.

The message he'll be keen to impart over the coming months is that, if this side can hold their own against SPL opposition, they really shouldn't be in a position where they're looking at a drop down a division and into part-time football.

Taken from eveningtimes.co.uk