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Partick Thistle 2 - 0 Aberdeen

HT Score: Partick Thistle 1 - 0 Aberdeen

SPL
Partick Thistle scorers: Grady 10, Mitchell 80

01/05/2004 | KO: 15:00

Sorry Dons crash in the sun

Aberdeen turned in another poor performance this afternoon allowing relegated Partick Thistle a comfortable win. Grady opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Mitchell wrapped up the points with a goal 10 minutes from time. Apart from a 15-minute spell leading to half time the visitors did precious little to cheer the small band of Dons fans who had made the trip to Glasgow. With Kilmarnock winning at Rugby Park it looks more and more difficult for the Dons to pull themselves any further up the league.

Aberdeen kicked off, but it was the home side that forced the opening corner when Rutkiewicz was forced to clear a cross in the second minute. From the subsequent set play ex-Don David Rowson went close as his fierce shot scraped inches wide of the target with Preece beaten. The Dons carved out their first chance in the 5th minute when good build up play ended with an ambitious shot from David Zdrilic, which Kenny Arthur held comfortably. The home side were holding the upper hand at this stage but the Dons easily dealt with a second corner in the 7th minute.

The visitors then grabbed a deserved lead in the 10th minute as Grady beat Rutkiewicz and chipped Preece from 25 yards out to give Partick the advantage. Not for the first time this season the Dons found themselves a goal behind and at this stage they were showing little sign of imposing themselves on the game. A double corner in the 15th minute had the Dons scrambling the ball clear again as the visitors struggled to get into the match. In the 19th minute Aberdeen carved out a half chance, but despite the home side looking unsure at the back, the Dons failed to capitalise. A minute later Prunty hit a very wild shot that was instantly forgettable. Partick went close again in the 26th minute as they tore the Dons back four apart with good passing play. Fortunately Strachan failed to finish the move and hit his effort wide.

Aberdeen looked uncomfortable on the ball and everything was hurried as they struggled to give Zdrilic and Prunty any service whatsoever. The Dons eventually won a free kick in a dangerous position with 32 minutes on the clock. A short tap to Zdrilic failed to work out as the big Aussie's shot was charged down allowing the home side to break. Fortunately Buckley got back to snub out the danger. A minute later Heikkinen was set up, but tried to find a colleague rather than have a shot at goal. Muirhead then tested Arthur in the 35th minute from distance and the keeper was forced to punch the ball over the bar for the Dons first corner of the match. Rutkiewicz got his head to Paul Sheerin's delivery, but was penalised in the process.

Two minutes later Sheerin tested Arthur with a fierce shot and the keeper couldn't hold the ball, but Zdrilic was unable to latch on to the loose ball. The Dons had a strong penalty claim turned down in the 39th minute when Madaschi appeared to upend Sheerin in the box. Mr Brines was uninterested despite the strong claims. The Dons were unlucky in the 42nd minute when another Muirhead shot was drilled in low and hit Arthur's thigh with the keeper knowing little about it. The Dons then ended the half in control, but failed to convert any of the chances.

Partick almost doubled their advantage in the opening minute of the second half when Rowson beat offside with a well-timed run to collect an Anis cross. Fortunately for the Dons he was unable to finish the move. Preece was again called into action in the 50th minute when Strachan and Grady set up Anis and the keeper was off his line quickly to block the shot. Once again the visitors had failed to make a strong start to the half and were second to every ball. In the 57th minute Mitchell and Grady went close as the Dons continued to look shaky.

A minute later the Dons did get forward and Muirhead delivered a telling cross, which Foster failed to connect with. Partick went close again in the 62nd minute when Preece made a good save from Grady and Mitchell failed to turn the loose ball into the net. Two minutes later Gibson headed a corner over the bar as the home side continued to dominate. Paterson put John Stewart on in the 69th minute in place of Ricky Foster and within a minute The Dons almost levelled as Zdrilic latched on to a Sheerin cross and headed inches wide.

Thistle wrapped up the win with ten minutes remaining when the Dons defence was caught flat and Mitchell ran on before rounding the keeper and rolling the ball into the empty net. Young John Stewart had a good effort sail inches wide in the 86th minute but it was one of the few chances the Dons had managed to carve out in the second period. The Jags almost made it three in stoppage time when Preece turned a Grady shot on to the post to save further grief for the Dons. Then with the clock ticking away Britton had a free header that he screwed wide before referee Brines blew for full time.

Partick Thistle Teamsheet
Arthur, Murray, Strachan (Gibson 69), Madaschi, Howie, Jen-Yves Anis (Ross 83), Fleming, Rowson, Mitchell (Britton 87), Grady, Gibson.
Attendance: 2,839
Venue: Firhill, Glasgow
Referee: Ian Brines