Unusual taste of defeat for Fife Thistle

Thistle’s unbeaten start to the campaign come to an end when they went down to Strath.

The home side came close to opening the scoring early on when Fraser Spence missed a header with the ball falling kindly for Robinson whose effort produced a good save from Wortley.

The opening goal arrived in the 35th minute for Strath when a cross into the back post from Gourley was met unchallenged by White who fired home from a tight angle.

Against the run of play Barnes almost drew his side level in the 40th minute when he got onto the end of a great ball from Bell but United keeper Christie pulled off an excellent save.

The early part of the second half followed a similar format with United in control but without really troubling the Thistle goal however the introduction of youngster Davy Whatmore just after the hour seemed to spark some life into Thistle as they finally began to take the match to their hosts.

In the 72nd minute a Finlay corner was met by Carson whose header beat Christie but unfortunately for Thistle came crashing off the crossbar.

Thistle were now well in the ascendency however in the 84th minute against the run of play they conceded a cheap goal when a cross into the box should have been dealt with by Spence or Wortley but both left it to each other leaving White with a simple finish at the back post.

It would have been easy for Thistle to throw in the towel but all credit to them they continued to push forward and a minute into stoppage time the Finlay/Mackie combination worked again when the latter headed home another inviting corner.

Less than a minute later Finlay again sent in a great ball this time finding Gray who beat the keeper with his effort but once again the crossbar came to the rescue of the home side.

Deep into stoppage time Munro barged his way into the box and lifted his effort over the keeper but by the finest of margins his effort fell just over the crossbar ensuring the full points stayed in Strathmiglo.

LM Joinery Man of the Match – Sam Walker

Team – Ross Wortley, Sam Walker, Jamie Mackie, Fraser Spence, James Bell (Scott Nicolson 78), Liam Carson (Capt.), Ryan Gray, Scott Finlay, Gary Spence (Davy Whatmore 64), Ronnie Barnes (Lee Munro 85), Sean Allan.

Subs not used – Sam Anderson & Martin Brown

Tomorrow (Saturday) Thistle are on Scottish Cup duty when the travel to face Stenhousemuir in the delayed 1st round tie.