Partick Thistle v Spartans

MANAGER’S NOTES BRIAN GRAHAM

I’d like to begin my notes this afternoon by welcoming Debbi McCulloch and everyone at Spartans to Petershill Park for today’s game.

Our previous game against them this season was a very hard-fought 0-0 draw at their place and we’re expecting another really difficult game this weekend against a good team.

We’re coming into it in good spirits though having won our last two games. The Hamilton game, which I spoke about in my previous programme notes, was huge for us and we were able to follow it up with a win in the cup against Boroughmuir Thistle last Sunday.

It wasn’t the most convincing win we’ve had this season but in the cup it’s all about getting through. The girls showed good character to go and win the game in extra-time after being pegged back towards the end of regular time.

Now we’ve got an exciting quarter-final against Hibs to look forward to in April but for the time being we have to focus back on the SWPL 1.

We want to continue to show that winning mentality and ability to grind out results as we head into an important spell of games. Three of our next four games are against the three teams directly above us and these are the games that are going to decide where we finish at the end of the season.

As such, I’m delighted to be able to welcome Rachel Donaldson to the club ahead of these games. Rachel is a player I’m really looking forward to working with here at Thistle because I think she’s the kind of player who can make the difference in key moments.

She’s got plenty of top flight experience and has played in the Champions League as well so it says a lot about the team we’re building here at Thistle that she wanted to come here and be a part of it.

Date

2021/22 FIXTURES

Venue

Opposition

Compeition

Score

08.08.21

Home

Celtic

SWPL Cup

1-3

15.08.21

Away

St Johnstone

SWPL Cup

4-0

29.08.21

Away

Hearts

SWPL Cup

0-0

12.09.21

Home

Aberdeen

SWPL1

0-2

19.09.21

Home

Motherwell

SWPL1

3-2

30.09.21

Away

Glasgow City

SWPL1

1-3

03.10.21

Away

Celtic

SWPL1

0-6

06.10.21

Away

Rangers

SWPL1

1-7

10.10.21

Home

Hibernian

SWPL1

3-2

17.10.21

Home

Hamilton

SWPL1

2-2

31.10.21

Away

Glasgow City

SWPL Cup

0-5

03.11.21

Away

Spartans

SWPL1

0-0

07.11.21

Home

Hearts

SWPL1

2-3

21.11.21

Home

Rangers

SWPL1

0-1

28.11.21

Away

Aberdeen

SWPL1

P-P

12.12.21

Home

Glasgow City

SWPL1

0-2

09.01.22

Home

Motherwell

Scot Cuo

2-2 (PT win 4-2 on pens)

16.01.22

Away

Motherwell

SWPL1

2-2

23.01.22

Home

Celtic

SWPL1

0-7

30.01.22

Away

Hibernian

SWPL1

P-P

06.02.22

Away

Hamilton

SWPL1

1-0

13.02.22

Home

Boroughmuir Thistle

Scot Cup

2-1 (AET)

20.02.22

Home

Spartans

SWPL1

27.02.22

Away

Hearts

SWPL1

06.03.22

Away

Rangers

SWPL1

13.03.22

Home

Aberdeen

SWPL1

20.03.22

Away

Glasgow City

SWPL1

27.03.22

Away

Motherwell

SWPL1

17.04.22

Home

Celtic

SWPL1

24.04.22

Home

Hibernian

SWPL1

08.05.22

Home

Hamilton

SWPL1

11.05.22

Home

Spartans

SWPL1

15.05.22

Away

Hearts

SWPL!

PLAYER

2021/22 STATS APPS

GOALS

Morgan Anderson

(1)

Dionne Brown

(5)

Amy Bulloch

14(3)

Summer Christie

2(4)

Emma Craig

3(2)

Danica Dalziel

7(4)

1

Clare Docherty

14(1)

4

Rachel Donaldson

1

Demi Falconer

20

Taylor Fisher

(2)

Colette Fleming

5(3)

Jade Gallon

3

Lauren Grant

2(1)

Jade Greenshields

2(2)

Taylor Hamil

1(2)

Freya MacDonald

17(3)

2

Cara McBrearty

17(1)

4

Teigan McCann

10(3)

3

Cheryl McCulloch

16

Taylor McGlashan

4(3)

Rebecca McGowan

15

Lauren McGregor

14(1)

Louise Magilton

1(3)

Kim Murphy

10(1)

Eva Payne

(3)

Sophie Payne

1(2)

London Pollard

6

2

Cheryl Rigden

9(8)

1

Rosie Slater

14(3)

Eleanor Smith

5(7)

Linzi Taylor

4

Ellie Vernal

2(1)

2

1

3

COLETTE FLEMING PLAYER INFO

PLAYER INTERVIEW

Name: Colette Fleming Date of Birth: 09/10/1989 Position: Midfield Joined Thistle: January 6th 2020 Previous Club(s): Hamilton, Mill United, Kilmarnock Thistle Debut: v Motherwell, March 9th 2020 First Thistle Goal: v Boroughmuir Th, June 6th 2021 Thistle Appearances and Goals: Apps: 15(4), Gls 1

You’ve recently returned from injury, how pleasing is it to get back on that pitch and make a difference for the team?

still is. Yes we have had a great start but we still can’t take it for granted. We will be taking each game at a time and see where we end up and the end of the season.

How much do you enjoy captaining this club and how important is the role with so many younger players and such a challenging season after the step up in leagues?

It was a long few months on the sidelines with a reoccurring injury which was frustrating but I’m just buzzing to be back training with the girls and back in the team environment. I’m just really glad to be back in the squad as we have such a strong team now so hopefully I can help out when selected.

I love captaining this club it’s a real honour and I take huge pride in wearing the armband. The team is very youthful but I think they have all conducted themselves superbly so far. Yes you can give the young ones some words of wisdom but sometimes I feel I’m learning from them as well which is great! They have no fear and go into each game with a willingness to word hard and give everything for this team which is all we can ask for. I’m always here though if they need some advice or just to talk.

How frustrating was that spell out injured having to watch and not be able to control what went on on the pitch?

This is a big month for the club, with two wins from two so far, how does that confidence help going into games?

It was really frustrating, I’m not the best person as a spectator to be honest. I’ve probably aged 10 years watching some of the games! The girls have done amazing though so far so hopefully we can keep on building on that.

This is a massive month for the team as we are playing the teams round about us in the league. The past two weeks have been great getting the wins which has given us the confidence going into this week.

We’ve said all along that staying in the league is a success but with how things have went this season is the aim being set higher?

Staying in the league this season was always our aim and

The team have had a really good week training and confidence is high but we are under no illusions how hard the next couple of games are going to be. We are going to have to be at our very best collectively to get the wins we need.

PLAYER SPONSORS 1. Lauren McGregor

Pauline and Elaine

2, Rosie Slater

Dr Wilma Hogg

Dr Wilma Hogg

3. Kim Murphy

Alex Tulloch Joiners

41 Sports Media

4. Cheryl McCulloch 5. Demi Falconer

Morag & Graham Elrick

Dr Wilma Hogg Catriona Tucker

CL Flooring

6. Colette Fleming

Dunmuir Coachworks

7. Teigan McCann

True Potential Wealth

Randle Wilson

Donald DIngwall

8. Clare Docherty

Ivy, Etta & Amos

PTFC Nomads

JM Mobile Valeting

9. Taylor McGlashan

Drumchapel United

10. Emma Craig 11. Cara McBrearty

Gordon McClure Cairnhill Structures

The Mayes Family

13. Ellie Vernal

Watson Towers W Munro (Rehab) Ltd

14. Sophie Gallacher 15. Jade Gallon 16. Rebecca McGowan 17. Linzi Taylor 18. Danica Dalziel

LA Travel Greg Robertson

Allied Interiors

The Arrandale Hotel Ayr Teng Tools UK

19. Cheryl Rigden 20. Freya MacDonald

Dean Robertson Joinery The Welsh Family 41 Sports Media

Cobie O’Neil

Cobie O’Neil

Cobie O’Neil

Dogs Without Border Scotland

Greenhill Tyres & Exhaust

Euan Grant

23. Dionne Brown

The Music Room

L’Perfection

P.L.R. Groundworks

24. Amy Bulloch

Maureen Thomas

Billy & Dawn

Morgan Anderson

Drumchapel United

Drumchapel United

21. Lauren Grant 22. Eleanor Smith

Taylor Hamill Taylor Fisher

Michelle Jackson

OUR SPONSORS THANK YOU

A SIGNIFICANT WEEK TOM HOSIE

It has been a significant week both for Partick Thistle WFC and the wider women’s game in Scotland as a whole.

Last Sunday we managed, just, to squeeze past the challenge presented by Boroughmuir Thistle and into the last eight of the Scottish Cup. It’s widely accepted that we weren’t at our best last weekend but progression to the next round was always the objective and it was objective achieved no matter the circumstances.

The draw for the quarter-final handed us a third successive home time and early in April we will face the tough, but not unsurmountable, challenge of Hibernian who we defeated here at Petershill Park in the league earlier this season.

That’s something to look forward to, of more pressing concern is today’s league meeting with Spartans, the side immediately above in the league table.

As nice as progression in the cups is, our number one objective this season was to have secured our SWPL1 status come the end of the season. Victory today wouldn’t, of course, be any guarantee that we will meet that objective but it would be a small but important step in that direction all the same.

At a time of change for the women’s game in Scotland it is imperative that we maintain our top flight status that we have journeyed a long way to reach, albeit the final step came as a result of unfortunate circumstances elsewhere.

Even from the very early days of Partick Thistle WFC there has been a burning desire and ambition to continually improve and become as successful as it is possible for us to be. That ambition hasn’t lessened any now that we are part of the top flight. If anything it has intensified and that can be reflected in the quality of the most recent additions that we have made to the squad.

Both Taylor Fisher, with Glasgow City, and Rachel Donaldson, with Celtic, have Champions League experience and an abundance, Rachel in particular with over 100 appearances, of top flight football behind them.

As these two players join an already talented group of girls we have every reason to look forward to the future with optimism.

We need though not to lose sight of where we came from. As mentioned above the women’s game is in the course of undergoing some restructuring with the SWPL coming under the administrative control of the SPFL from next season onwards.

A personal view is that no matter what changes this may bring about, it is vitally important that a pathway will continue to exist for ambitious clubs from outside the elite level of the game in Scotland to progress. A few short years ago we were one of those ambitious clubs sitting outside the SWPL desperate to forge a path among the elite clubs. Now here we don’t want to deny others the chance to follow that same path.

MATCH REPORT

PARTICK THISTLE 2 v 1 BOROUGHMUIR TH (AET)

There has been no shortage of drama in Thistle’s Scottish Cup campaign this season. It took penalties to see off Motherwell in the last round and it came perilously close to penalties again before Thistle could see off the not inconsiderable challenge of Boroughmuir Thistle.

The tone for this game was set early with the SWPL2 side quickly on the front foot forcing a number of uncharacterised errors from the Thistle defence with McAvoy slicing a shot wide in the 5th minute after McCulloch had been caught in possession inside her own penalty box.

Boroughmuir were closer still to an opening goal after 15 minutes when Wilkinson’s free kick came off the Thistle crossbar. Duncan was able to bundle the rebound over the line but the flag went up for offside halting Boroughmuir celebrations. There was still a blow for Thistle, however, as goalkeeper McGregor was injured in trying to deny Duncan her chance and after lengthy treatment was replaced by Grant.

Whether this early change further unsettled a Thistle side that was already looking a little out of sorts is open to debate but what was without debate is that it was the visitors that were having the better of things, and they came close again when Anderson scooped a shot over the crossbar.

It took Thistle until the 29th minute to truly threaten the Boroughmuir goal and when they did so they were unfortunate not to take the lead.

Taylor lifted a pass over the Boroughmuir defence for Docherty who after taking a touch with her head saw her shot saved by Moodie.

McBrearty dragged a shot wide as Thistle tried to gain some kind of ascendancy and were desperately unlucky not to score when in first half injury time Moodie did well to touch a long range effort from Slater over the bar.

Slack midfield play provided Boroughmuir with the first opportunity of the second half as Duncan was able to get clear albeit with half-time substitute McGlashan in hot pursuit. McGlashan’s presence was just enough to delay Duncan’s shot allowing Grant to make an important save with her legs.

The game’s opening goal finally arrived in the 63rd minute. Slater’s lofted pass was collected by Taylor who was unceremoniously pulled down by Moodie for as obvious a penalty as you are likely to see. Cara McBreaty was entrusted with the spot kick and she slammed it with her trusted left foot low past Moodie who had guessed the right way but had little chance of saving.

If Thistle thought that that goal was settle things and allow them to progress safely through to the next round they were in for a rude surprise with a not undeserved Boroughmuir equaliser arriving with 14 minutes remaining.

A Wilkinson free kick from wide on the right came off the face of the crossbar and as Thistle were slow to react, the loose ball was touched back to Shannon Todd and the former Thistle player tucked the ball home.

It was Thistle that came the closest to finding a winner inside the 90 minutes when Moodie produced a good stop to her right to parry away a Taylor free kick.

The better of the extra-time opportunities it has to be said came the way of Boroughmuir.

MacLeod nearly managed to squeeze the ball home from a tight angle and hearts were in Thistle mouths when Duncan robbed Grant of possession of the ball but could only watch as the ball trickled wide of goal.

Penalties were starting looking all but inevitable when Thistle managed to conjure up a winner with 7 minutes remaining.

Falconer did well to work the ball out wide to McCann on the right, and when Moodie was unable to get hold of McCann’s cross Rebecca McGowan showed quick footwork to find space for a shot and was able to clip the ball into the net and send Thistle through to the last eight.

Team: McGregor (Grant), Slater, McCulloch, Falconer, Docherty, McBrearty (McCann), McGowan, Taylor, MacDonald (McGlashan), Bulloch (Rigden), Hamill (Fisher).

OUR VISITORS SPARTANS

It’s an extremely warm welcome to all associated with Spartans WFC who we are entertaining at home for the very first time. A quick look at the league table reveals the potential significance of Spartans first ever trip through to Glasgow to face Glasgow.

As things stand Spartans sit just one place and one point above Thistle in 8th and will be determined to return to Edinburgh this evening without having dropped into the bottom two of the SWPL1 league table.

That Spartans, one of Scotland’s premier women outfits finds themselves in this relatively low league position, albeit in a highly congested bottom to middle half, is something of a surprise.

Spartans WFC became part of the overall Spartans family in 2008 when Edinburgh Ladies, who were already part of the Premier League, and Royal High Thistle came together under the Spartans banner.

Edinburgh Ladies had by this time already been in existence for two years having previously started in the Premier League under the name of Whitehill Welfare.

Since 2008 Spartans have rarely finished outside of the top half of Scotland’s top flight and have twice, in 2008 and 2011, finished as runner-up. Additionally they have on no fewer than 5 occasions finished as runners-up in the Premier League Cup and were beaten finalists in the 2014 Scottish Cup. Looking at the current season, Spartans sadly exited the Scottish Cup at the last 16 stage last weekend going down to a 4-2 defeat in an exciting encounter with Aberdeen at the same venue where Spartans overturned a 2-0 deficit to run out 3-2 winners last month.

Spartans did reach the semi-final of the SWPL Cup when after defeating Dundee United in the last eight they were defeated by Glasgow City despite a brave display.

The quality that Spartans unquestionably have can be demonstrated by the fact that they are one of the very few teams, out with the top three sides, to have prised any points away from Celtic and it took a 90th minute equaliser that day for Celtic to even earn a single point.

With 14 goals to her name already this season Rebecca Galbraith will without doubt be a major threat to the Thistle defence. In close on 5 seasons with Spartans since joining from Stirling University, Rebecca has bagged no fewer than 35 goals and she will be desperate to add to that tally in front of the BBC cameras this afternoon.

Rebecca, however, although topping the goal scoring charts for Spartans this season isn’t the overall leading scorer within the squad. That honour goes to Anna Marshall the former Boroughmuir Thistle, Rangers and Hibs player having scored 38 times, and twice this season, in her 10 seasons as a Spartans player.

OUR VISITORS SPARTANS

LAST 10 MATCHES Date

Competition

Opposition

Score

14/11/21

SWPL Cup

Glasgow City (N)

0-3

21/11/21

SWPL1

Hibs (H)

0-0

12/12/21

SWPL1

Rangers (H)

2-5

09/01/22

SWF Cup

Morton (H)

11-0

16/01/22

SWPL1

Aberdeen (A)

3-2

23/01/22

SWPL1

Glasgow City (H)

0-4

26/01/22

SWPL1

Hearts (A)

1-1

30/01/22

SWPL1

Motherwell (A)

0-3

06/02/22

SWPL1

Celtic (H)

0-2

13/02/22

SWF Cup

Aberdeen (A)

2-4

TOP SCORERS Player

Goals

Rebecca Galbraith

14

Rosie McQuillan

5

Sarah Clelland

3

Caley Gibb

3

Katherine Smart

3

Anna Marshall

2

Louise Mason

2

Simone McMahon

2

THISTLE V SPARTANS THE STORY SO FAR

The previous clash this season, indeed the only previous clash between today’s two teams, took place at Ainslie Park back in November on an evening where the first chill of winter was felt.

It also came at a time when Thistle were in the midst of a real injury crisis.

Upwards of a dozen players had been unavailable for our previous fixture, a SWPL Cup clash against Glasgow City, and things had scarcely eased for this match although we were able to welcome back Lauren McGregor in goal.

There was no gentle introduction to the action either for McGregor as she was called into action as early as the 6th minute when she was required to save a long range Douglas shot.

Four minutes later she was in action again, this time getting a strong hand to a Mason cross to push the ball away from the Thistle goal.

It was the home side that did the bulk of the early pressing with Ryan drilling a low cross across the face of the Thistle goal and McQuilln trying to curl a shot past McGregor from the edge of the box.

Gradually though Thistle began to assert themselves on proceedings and of the two sides they probably had the better of the chances in the opening 45 minutes.

After 28 minutes Clare Docherty forced Harrison into a good save at her front post and 8 minutes later a deep Demi Falconer free-kick found Cheryl McCulloch who couldn’t quite direct her header away from Harrison.

There was a chance too for Eleanor Smith but she didn’t quite catch her shot cleanly and Harrison was able to save.

Thistle had the first chance of the second half too with Amy Bulloch sending a shot over the bar and Harrison made another good stop to deny substitute Cheryl Rigden.

As the game went deep into its final quarter the home side increasingly looked the more likely to break deadlock although to be fair McGregor didn’t have too many direct saves to make although a series of late corners did have her goal under severe pressure at times and a Clelland cross rolled right across a vacant Thistle goal but no home player was on hand to tap home.

McGregor though did have to save bravely at the feet of Mason and got enough of a touch to a dipping Smart shot to get it onto the crossbar.

Spartans: Mason, Clelland, McMahon, Ryan, Douglas, Marshall, Harrison, Gibb (Frew), McQuillan, McCafferty, Smart Thistle: McGregor, Slater, McCulloch, Falconer, Docherty, McGlashan (Rigden), McBrearty (MacDonald), McGowan, Smith, Bulloch (Christie), Greenshields (Brown)

TEAM LISTS PARTICK THISTLE 1. Lauren McGregor 2. Rosie Slater 3. Kim Murphy 4. Cheryl McCulloch 5. Demi Falconer 6. Colette Fleming 7. Teigan McCann 8. Clare Docherty 9. Taylor McGlashan 10. Emma Craig 11. Cara McBrearty 13. Ellie Vernal 14.Louise Magilton 15. Jade Gallon 16. Rebecca McGowan 17. Linzi Taylor 18. Danica Dalziel 19. Cheryl Rigden 20. Freya Macdonald 21. Lauren Grant 22. Eleanor Smith 23. Dionne Brown 24. Amy Bulloch 25. Rachel Donaldson 26. Taylor Hamill Taylor Fisher Morgan Anderson

SPARTANS 1. Alicia Yates 2. Louise Mason 3. Sarah Clelland 4. Simone McMahon 5. Dion McMahon 6. Ellie Simpson 7. Lisa Ryan 8. Katie Frew 9. Ronaigh Douglas 10. Jade Stenhouse 11. Alan Marshall 13. Rachel Harrison 14. Tegan Reynolds 15. Caley Gibb 16. Rosie McQuillan 17. Robyn McCafferty 18. Rebecca Galbraith 20. Elena Santoyo-Brown 24. Katherine Smart 25. Katie Reilly