Arbroath 3 – 1 Partick Thistle – Match Report
cinch Scottish Championship – Game 03 – Season 2021/2022
Saturday 21st July 2021, Gayfield Park, Arbroath, 3.00pm kick off
Arbroath welcomed cinch Scottish Championship leaders Partick Thistle to Gayfield on Saturday with another large crowd filling Gayfield Park.
Arbroath were forced into two changes with Harrison Clark unavailable and Chris Hamilton missing out through injury. However new loan striker Anton Dowds was in the squad and listed as a substitute.
Arbroath lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with Derek Gaston in goal and David Gold coming in to play at right back where he linked up with Ricky Little, Thomas O’Brien and Colin Hamilton in defence with Scott Stewart, Nicky Low, James Craigen and Liam Henderson playing in midfield, with Michael McKenna playing as a number 10 to Joel Nouble up front.
The Lichties attacked the harbour end in the first half and Michael McKenna had the first half chance of the game as he latched onto a Colin Hamilton throw in but his dipping shot was just over the Partick Thistle crossbar.
Former Livingston striker Scott Tiffoney carved open the Arbroath defence in the 6th minute as he managed to wriggle past Scott Stewart, David Gold and Ricky Little before firing at Derek Gaston who did brilliantly to save with his feet before Thomas O’Brien put the ball out for a corner kick.
David Gold did well to hit a shot on the volley in the 11th minute which forced Partick Thistle keeper Harry Stone to get down and save towards his left hand post.
Joel Nouble was giving the Partick Thistle defenders a headache from the outside as his pace and skill meant he was surging forward with the ball as often as possible and he had a header from a corner just over the bar in the 18th minute.
Scott Stewart was also keeping up his blistering form with his pace giving veteran defender Richard Foster lots of problems down the right.
Patrick Thistle were dealt an early blow in the 26th minute with Ciaran McKenna was forced off with what looked like a shoulder injury and he was replaced by West Ham Loanee Tunji Akinola.
Liam Henderson had a soft strike from 20 yards saved by Stone in the 30th minute as both sides sought the opening goal.
The opening goal did come just 3 minutes later, but it was a nightmare for the Lichties. Kyle Turner rode a challenge from Thomas O’Brien on the half way line before playing a one-two with Brian Graham before firing a shot at goal after getting through Gold and Little.
Derek Gaston again made another great save, but his save by his leg bounced back into play and off Colin Hamilton who was completely faultless and ricocheted into the net. The ball could have bounced anywhere but the Arbroath left back he was totally unlucky and Partick Thistle had the opening goal.
Nicky Low, who must go down as one of Dick Campbell’s most influential signings of late tried to get his side on level terms, first with a spectacular lob effort from 40 yards which was well wide of Stone’s goal before hitting a shot from the edge of the 18 yard box after a surging run forward which was well saved by Stone in the 41st minute.
However Arbroath’s fortune took a change on the stroke of half time. Ross MacIver fouled Colin Hamilton 20 yards from goal.
Both Nicky Low and Michael McKenna stood over the wall, and as Harry Stone lined up his wall, he positioned himself to the left of his goal. It left Michael McKenna just enough space to try and beat him at his near post and despite getting a hand to McKenna’s free kick, the ball was in the net and it was the perfect time to score.
Half Time – Arbroath 1 – 1 Partick Thistle
Neither side made any changes at the break as Arbroath got the second half underway shooting towards the Switchie end and their own fans.
A beautiful touch and great skill by Nouble in the Partick Thistle box allowed him to find James Craigen with a cheeky lob, and Craigen’s shot was palmed away by Stone before Foster cleared for a corner kick as Arbroath made a positive start to the second half.
Partick Thistle thought they had taken the lead in the 51st minute but the referee had blown for a foul by Graham before Scott Tiffoney’s shot had found the back of the net.
It would be a turning point in the game as just minutes later Joel Nouble lit up Gayfield with a sublime piece of skill as he held off a strong challenge from Lewis Mayo before leaving Akinola behind then from the byline and under pressure beautifully looked up and found the head of Michael McKenna with a stunning pin point cross. McKenna made no mistake and his header smashed into the back of the net at Stone’s near post in the 54th minute to send the Gayfield faithful crazy.
It was to get better for Arbroath as just 2 minutes later, Nouble put Akinola under pressure as he rolled the ball back to Stone. With the rain now battering down Stone tried to pass the ball out to Kyle Turner but Nicky Low could see the pass unfolding and ran across Turner and won the ball back and with Stone standing near the penalty spot, Low took a touch before firing the ball into the empty net.
The Arbroath fans behind the goal went mental as their side had scored 3 goals in an eleven minute spell to sensationally take the lead.
Partick Thistle made their final two changes in the 63rd minute with Cammy Smith and Shea Gordon replacing Zak Rudden and Ross MacIver as they tried to find a way back into the match.
However it was the Lichties who kept looking for another goal and Scott Stewart narrowly missed with a flicked header after he was picked out by a cross from McKenna in the 64th minute.
Ricky Little did well to put a dangerous cross out for a corner kick in the 66th minute as the playing surface started to become slick after the torrential rain which seen all supporters huddle under the stands.
Scott Tiffoney was booked for a foul on Nicky Low in the 69th minute with Arbroath’s Bobby Linn coming on for Liam Henderson seconds later in their first change.
Another wonderful piece of skill by Scott Stewart seen him play a one-two with McKenna beating 3 defenders before he was tackled just as he was about to pull the trigger as he entered the 6 yard box.
Substitute Cammy Smith hit a beautiful curling shot from 20 yards in the 77th minute but it was just over Gaston’s Bar as Thistle tried to pull a goal back.
Richard Foster was the next player into the book after a foul on Nicky Low which gave Arbroath a free kick just outside of the penalty box with Nicky Low’s free kick saved in the 78th minute.
David Gold was replaced by Dylan Paterson whilst Anton Dowds made his Arbroath debut as he came on for goalscorer Michael McKenna in the 80th minute.
A Bobby Linn cross fell to Paterson after Mayo and Lows both went for the ball, Paterson’s shot curled and dipped before landing at the back post with Dowds just heading over the bar.
Lewis Mayo was the third Partick player to be yellow carded in the 82nd minute after he fouled Nouble.
Paterson won the ball back from a break on the wing before playing in Nouble who in turn found Dowds with a great pass and Dowds almost got his debut goal but his low drive was just pushed past the post for a corner kick by Stone.
Partick always looked dangerous on the break and a cross by Tiffoney in the 83rd minute wasn’t picked up and Gaston had an easy save.
James Craigen who was having one of his best ever performances for Arbroath showed great vision to find Bobby Linn with a pass over the top in the 85th minute but with only Akinola to beat, Linn cut inside but didn’t catch his shot properly and it went wide to the right.
Craigen again was alert to another misjudged Partick clearance picking up the ball before unleashing a fierce drive from 30 yards but it just fizzed over the cross bar.
Partick had the ball in the back of the net in the 89th minute but the offside flag was up an for the second time in the match it didn’t count.
James Craigen became the first Arbroath player to be booked in the 94th minute after catching Turner giving Partick Thistle a chance to cross into the box but it was too late as O’Brien cleared before the full time whistle blew.
Full Time – Arbroath 3 – 1 Partick Thistle
A stunning performance by Arbroath who shocked the league leaders with a wonderful spirited display to come back from an early unlucky own goal.
It was a complete team performance and despite it being hard to pick out one Man of the Match, Nouble, McKenna, Low, Craigen were all exceptional with Nouble already becoming a real fan favourite. Not only was his skill on show, but in the 89th minute he was at his own byline trying to block a cross.
It will be another tough test next Saturday with a tricky trip down to East End Park but for now the players deserve to celebrate and take the plaudits they deserve.
C’mon the Lichties
Full Time Stats
Possession – Arbroath 47% – 53% Partick Thistle
Total Shots – Arbroath 16 – 10 Partick Thistle
On Target – Arbroath 8 – 2 Partick Thistle
Off Target – Arbroath 7 – 4 Partick Thistle
Blocked – Arbroath 1 – 4 Partick Thistle
Corners – Arbroath 3 – 4 Partick Thistle
Fouls Committed – Arbroath 13 – 11 Partick Thistle
Arbroath
1 – Derek Gaston
12 – Scott Stewart
3 – Colin Hamilton
4 – Ricky Little
5 – Thomas O’Brien (c)
6 – Nicky Low
7 – David Gold (Paterson 80)
8 – Michael McKenna (Dowds 80)
22 – Liam Henderson (Linn 70)
28 – James Craigen
17 – Joel Nouble
Substitutes
9 – Dale Hilson
10 – Gavin Swankie
11 – Bobby Linn – 22; 70th
14 – Dylan Paterson – 7; 80th
15 – Luke Donnelly
19 – Anton Dowds – 8; 80th
21 – Calum Antell (GK)
Goals – McKenna 45, 54, Low 58
Yellow Card – Craigen 90+4
Partick Thistle
12 – Harry Stone
16 – Ciaran McKenna (Akinola 26)
4 – Lewis Mayo
3 – Kevin Holt
2 – Richard Foster
19 – Ross MacIver (Gordon 64)
6 – Kyle Turner
7 – Scott Tiffoney
8 – Stuart Brannigan (c)
9 – Brian Graham
10 – Zak Rudden (Smith 64)
Substitutes
1 – Jamie Sneddon (GK)
11 – Cammy Smith – 10; 64th
14 – Shea Gordon – 19 – 64th
17 – Connor Murray
18 – Tunji Akinola – 16; 26th
Goal – Colin Hamilton OG 33
Yellow Cards – Tiffoney 69, Foster 78, Mayo 82
Attendance: 1585
Officials;
Referee; Grant Irvine
Assistant Referee 1: Drew Kirkland
Assistant Referee 2: Michael MacDermid
