Partick Thistle 1 - 2 Falkirk: Welcome win for Steven Pressley at Firhill

Published on Tuesday 12 April 2011 18:28

Partick Thistle 1 Kinniburgh (90) Falkirk 2 Alston (65), Finnigan (68)

The sums are simply not adding up for Falkirk - off or on the field. While club directors struggle to balance the books, Steven Pressley and his players continue to wrestle with a deficit of their own. This welcome win takes then within nine points of leaders Dunfermline but, with games running out, the title is surely beyond them.

Pressley made five changes to the side that lost to Thistle at the weekend but there was no immediate solution and it took two goals midway through the second half to set up a victory which had looked unlikely.

Thistle made the early running and Martin Grehan's neat footwork created an opening for Chris Erskine who just failed to get the better of the alert Robert Olejnik. The Falkirk keeper should have been picking the ball out of his net in 14 minutes when Grehan again fed Erskine and the striker's powerful shot rebounded from the underside of the bar. Paddy Boyle was first to react but looked on in disbelief as his six-yard header flew over the unguarded goal.

Thistle continued to press and Olejnik was in action again to gather Grehan's bobbling 18 yard shot following Kris Doolan's industry in the last third.

However, Falkirk eventually found their feet on the heavily-sanded Firhill surface and began to produce a few flurries around the home box. The first of them saw Kallum Higginbotham link with Ryan Flynn before cutting inside his marker and sending a firm shot narrowly wide from the edge of the 18-yard area. Moments later Flynn fired a first time effort beyond the upright following a flick by Carl Finnigan.

There was a dearth of goalmouth activity after the break until Falkirk hit their hosts with two goals in quick succession. First Finnigan and Flynn combined for Blair Alston to shoot low into the net from 18 yards for his first goal for the club.

The Firhill fans were still coming to terms with this shock when Mark Stewart's cross was glanced into the net by Finnigan.

Willie Kinniburgh's injury time consolation came too late for Thistle, while Falkirk must now hope for an improbable collapse from both Dunfermline and Raith.

Partick: Fox; McNamara (McGeogh 67), Boyle, Kinniburgh, Balatoni, Archibald, Cairney, Rowson, Doolan (Fraser 75), Grehan, Erskine (Stewart 60).Subs Not Used: McGrotty, Scully

Falkirk: Olejnik; Duffie, Twaddle, Murdoch, Scobbie, Alston, Stewart, Millar, Finnigan, Flynn (Fulton 89), Higginbotham (Kingsley 90). Subs Not Used: McManus, Mitchell, Barclay.

Referee: S Finnie. Att: 1,142