Raith Rovers 1 - 1 Partick Thistle: Defiant Jags see winning run end

By ARCHIE MACGREGOR
Published on 30/09/2012 00:00

First the good news for the First Division chasing pack – Partick Thistle’s 100 per cent record has finally gone.

SCORERS:

Raith Rovers - Spence 66

Partick Thistle - Doolan 90

Now the bad news – the steely determination and copious self-belief that have carried Jackie McNamara’s side to the top of the table were still to be seen in abundance yesterday at Stark’s Park as they pounced with a Kris Doolan strike in time added on to salvage a point when it seemed to have eluded their grasp after Greig Spence had given Raith the lead midway through the second half. With such attributes to hand, they are still going to be mighty difficult to dislodge from pole position.

“We showed great character” observed a quietly satisfied McNamara afterwards.

“It was never-say-die and I said to the lads that its great testimony to them because it’s always hard here at Raith and the first goal is often crucial”.

The Thistle manager added that he felt a draw was the least his side deserved and undeniably they were the better team early on, with plenty of movement and neat passing on display. Disappointingly though, there was little in the way of end product from the Firhill men, with poor finishing from Aaron Sinclair and Christie Elliot seeing their two best opportunities of the opening 45 minutes going unrewarded.

The tentative hosts slowly grew into the game with Grant Anderson sending in a couple of venomous drives which Scott Fox in the Partick goal did well to smother. Another effort from winger David Smith on the stroke of half-time also saw the league leaders scrambling to clear their lines.

There was a near symmetry to proceedings after the restart with Thistle again showing plenty of eagerness to press forward and Stuart Bannigan gave Raith goalkeeper David McGurn his first genuinely testing moment of the afternoon with a belter of an angled shot that he just managed to tip over the bar.

The early flourish from the visitors once more failed to produce the desired breakthrough, however, and the game become a fragmented affair with little of the flow and measured possession that had been witnessed earlier. This appeared to suit Raith and, without looking particularly threatening, they nevertheless conjured up what seemed likely to be a winning strike when Spence pounced on a loose ball in the Partick box a blasted a shot high past Fox.

Moments later it was nearly 2-0 as Spence saw a header saved at point blank range by Fox and the visitors goalkeeper also defied the lively Smith with a couple of splendid blocks. Such resolve appeared to be infectious as Thistle made a late collective surge to ensure that they preserved their unbeaten start to the campaign.

The bombardment paid dividends right at the death as Doolan connected with Aaron Muirhead’s cross to reward the Maryhill men’s resilience in dramatic fashion.

“We’re very disappointed, as when you concede a goal so late like that it can feel like a defeat,” reflected Raith manager Grant Murray, “but we’ve got to take the positives from the game – we ran the league 
leaders right to the last kick of the ball, virtually.”