The ultimate destination was the big city, a place that, on recent experience, held no fears whatsoever.
The finest in north Glasgow were County’s opponents, and having scuffed Partick Thistle on their only two visits to Firhill during the previous campaign, what was all the fuss about?
The odds-layers had Thistle favourites, but they are not always correct. The home lot’s best defender, Alan Archibald, was excused duty as he tries to regain full fitness, while Liam Buchanan, invariably lethal when scoring goals is an option, was also warming a seat in the stand due to a sore leg.
So, a game of cards on the bus down, three points, and home in time for supper, what could be better?
Well, it didn’t quite turn out in the prescribed fashion, and in truth, seldom, if ever, did County threaten to alter the status quo, but the same could be said for the home team.
The match almost started in calamity for Thistle when a through ball landed at the feet of Paul Di Giacomo. However, the striker dithered too long, allowing Martyn Corrigan sufficient time to intercept and clear the danger.
Thistle soon recovered, and Simon Donnelly, on two occasions, was robbed of position when lining up for a shot.
County then infringed the rules on the right, and Paul Paton’s swinging cross landed in Ian Maxwell’s possession, but the defender sclaffed his effort wide with the target gaping.
Paul Cairney was next to press forward for the home team, but with the whites of County keeper Michael McGovern clearly in sight, Scott Boyd decided to whip the pins from his opponent, and from the resulting free- kick, Maxwell’s shot struck the top of the net.
Close to the intermission, defender Gary Miller produced a bout of pugilism at the expense of David Rowson. Both men crunched into a tackle near the halfway line, but Miller was clearly rather miffed about his opponent’s part in the incident, and planted a beautiful right cross on the Thistle man’s chest.
The referee, Crawford Allan, had no hesitation, or option, but to remove Miller from the proceedings.
Goalmouth incidents were sparse in the opening 45 minutes, with the singular shot on target coming at 37 minutes for County.
The second half must have started rather too tamely for Stuart Kettlewell and Thistle’s Steven McKeown. They became involved in the kind of pushing match usually only seen in a primary school playground.
Referee Allan deemed McKeown to be the slightly more silly, and sent him packing. However, just why his sparring partner was allowed to remain is a complete mystery. Then, hallelujah for the home fans, their team’s first shot on goal – after 68 minutes.
Of course, football managers are strange individuals, and have opinions to match. County’s Derek Adams was delighted with his men’s work. “We have come to Firhill three times and are still unbeaten,” he stated accurately. “It was an excellent afternoon all round.”
Thistle’s Ian McCall perhaps summed up the day’s agony slightly more accurately, saying: “It was torture. We were the only team trying to win the game.
“There was a lack of rhythm. It was far too stop-start, and the referee had something to do with that.”
Partick Thistle 0 - 0 Ross County
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