YOU would have got long odds at the beginning of the season on this pair being potential Scottish Cup semi- finalists, both of them enjoying splendid midweek results at Love Street and Ibrox. That said, their league form has been patchy, and this affair hardly had punters raising the rafters.
The first half was particularly sore on the eyes, with players on both sides seemingly incapable of dispatching anything resembling an accurate pass, and penalty box action virtually non-existent. Rocco Quinn's third-minute 20-yarder required Thistle
's goalkeeper Jonathan Tuffey to get down smartly to smother the ball, but this early morsel of entertainment was not followed by meatier fare.
It took Thistle until five minutes before half time to threaten, when Stevie Murray's long-range effort was palmed for a corner by Alan Main. Sure, Firhill's playing surface was a disgrace, looking as if a convoy of heavy goods vehicles had been put through their MOTs on it prior to kick off. Even so, this scrappiness of play suggested both teams' cup exertions had taken their toll.
St Johnstone's Steven Milne missed the target from 15 yards after the restart, typifying a grim second half that was only marginally more eventful than the first. David Rowson and Mark Roberts struck woodwork with close-range shots late on, and at the other end, Andrew Jackson missed a sitter that had everyone shaking their heads in disbelief. Frankly, if the match had extended to midnight we would probably all still be waiting for a goal.
The full article contains 265 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
