Match ends, St. Johnstone 2, Partick Thistle 0.
St Johnstone 2-0 Partick Thistle
By Brian McLauchlin
BBC Scotland at McDiarmid Park
- From the section Football
St Johnstone bounced back from consecutive league defeats to earn a comfortable victory over Partick Thistle at McDiarmid Park.
Dave Mackay's deflected strike in the opening stages put Saints ahead before Steven Anderson's header early in the second half sealed the points.
Thistle had chances to get back into the match, but could not find a way past the home defence.
Saints remain in the Premiership's top six, with Thistle lying in ninth.
The home side started on the front foot and duly took the lead after just four minutes.
Captain Mackay strode forward and fired in a shot from just outside the 18-yard box, which took a wicked deflection and crept into the corner of the goal beyond Paul Gallacher.
The opener gave the home side great confidence and Liam Caddis came close to adding a second with a header at the back post that was brilliantly tipped round the post by Gallacher.
Thistle slowly came into the game and were close to an equaliser after 20 minutes.
A corner came in from the left hand side that Ryan Stevenson was able to control before thundering a right-foot shot tagainst the crossbar.
Stevenson was involved in most of Thistle's play going forward but they were struggling to find a way past a stern home defence.
St Johnstone began the second half in the same way they had the first period - with an early goal.
A David Wotherspoon corner from the left side was met by Anderson, who glanced a header into the bottom corner.
Thistle brought on Kallum Higginbotham and Nathan Eccleston and the latter almost reduced the deficit.
The substitute found himself clean through on goal and looked certain to score when he rounded Alan Mannus, but his net-bound effort was brilliantly cleared by Brian Easton covering for his keeper.
Higginbotham then fired a shot wide from 25 yards.
Thistle have not beaten Saints in Perth since 1993 and that poor record was maintained as the home side eased their way to all three points.
Line-ups
St Johnstone
- 1Mannus
- 2Mackay
- 5Wright
- 6AndersonBooked at 65mins
- 24EastonSubstituted forScobbieat 82'minutes
- 10Wotherspoon
- 4Lappin
- 7MillarSubstituted forBrownat 24'minutes
- 16Caddis
- 29O'HalloranSubstituted forMcDonaldat 72'minutes
- 9MacLean
Substitutes
- 3Scobbie
- 8McDonald
- 14Graham
- 15Banks
- 19Miller
- 20Brown
- 25Kane
Partick Thistle
- 12Gallacher
- 2O'DonnellSubstituted forWilsonat 73'minutes
- 3Seaborne
- 6Balatoni
- 30KeenanBooked at 71mins
- 8Bannigan
- 18Osman
- 11LawlessSubstituted forHigginbothamat 59'minutes
- 10Stevenson
- 28McDaid
- 9DoolanSubstituted forEcclestonat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Fox
- 7Craigen
- 13Frans
- 15Higginbotham
- 19Eccleston
- 23Wilson
- 26Lindsay
- Referee:
- Greg Aitken
- Attendance:
- 2,994
Match Stats
Home TeamSt JohnstoneAway TeamPartick Thistle
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home5
- Away4
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away2
- Corners
- Home3
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away11
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, St. Johnstone 2, Partick Thistle 0.
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Alan Mannus.
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by David Mackay.
Attempt missed. Kallum Higginbotham (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Foul by Steven Anderson (St. Johnstone).
Nathan Eccleston (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Tam Scobbie replaces Brian Easton because of an injury.
Foul by Simon Lappin (St. Johnstone).
Declan McDaid (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Scott Brown (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ryan Stevenson (Partick Thistle).
Gary McDonald (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle).
Attempt missed. David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. David Wilson replaces Stephen O'Donnell.
Substitution
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Gary McDonald replaces Michael O'Halloran.
Booking
Dale Keenan (Partick Thistle) is shown the yellow card.
Liam Caddis (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dale Keenan (Partick Thistle).
Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Brian Easton.
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. Nathan Eccleston replaces Kris Doolan.
Booking
Steven Anderson (St. Johnstone) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Steven Anderson (St. Johnstone).
Kallum Higginbotham (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. Kallum Higginbotham replaces Steven Lawless.
Attempt saved. Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Liam Caddis (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dale Keenan (Partick Thistle).
Attempt missed. Simon Lappin (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Michael O'Halloran (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Abdul Osman (Partick Thistle).
Frazer Wright (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle).
Goal!
Goal! St. Johnstone 2, Partick Thistle 0. Steven Anderson (St. Johnstone) header from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by David Wotherspoon.
Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Stephen O'Donnell.
Attempt missed. Stephen O'Donnell (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner.
Second Half
Second Half begins St. Johnstone 1, Partick Thistle 0.
Half Time
First Half ends, St. Johnstone 1, Partick Thistle 0.
Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Danny Seaborne.