Aberdeen 1 - 2 Partick Thistle

Aberdeen paid their first visit of the season to Montrose for the home meeting with a Partick Thistle side currently sitting fourth in the Development League table. Paul Sheerin's side was bolstered by first team squad men Craig Storie and Mile Storey who had both been unused subs in last night's 5-1 win over Kilmarnock. David Craddock lined up in goal behind a back four of Taylor, Omolokun, Roscoe and Wells. Thomas and Storie anchored the midfield. Ahead of them Wright and Ross were in the wide positions flanking strikers Storey and Anderson.

The Dons were quickly on the offensive and Miles Storey hit the post after 35 seconds having been played in by Scott Wright. Five minutes later we had a very good claim for a penalty when Wright's shirt was held by a defender as he burst into the box but referee Duncan waved aside the pleas of the men in red. In the 12th minute Ross was booked after a foul on Docherty in the middle of the park. On 16 minutes a long ball out of defence by Toby Wells was flicked on by Anderson into the path of Miles Storey but the bounce of the ball prevented him from getting a shot away. Thistle went on the attack and it took a great sliding challenge from Sam Roscoe to stop Ian Stokes as the winger broke into the danger area. It had been a bright opening twenty from both sides with Aberdeen marginally on top.
David Craddock was forced to make a fine block from Docherty after a neat passing move then the young Irishman parried another effort from the same player following a good cross from Stokes. At the other end Craig Storie tried his luck from distance but the shot went wide. Thistle's McCarthy was the game's second booking on 31 minutes after a tug on the shirt of Scott Wright. Two minutes later and the deadlock was broken as Thistle striker McLaughlin produced a cool finish after good work from Stokes and McCarthy. One nil to the visitors who were starting to dominate in the middle of the park.
The Dons tried to get back on level terms and Frank Ross saw his powerful shot well saved after being played into space by Storie. Thistle broke forward again and Lamont cut in from left to force a good save from Craddock at his near post. Two minutes before the break a swift break down the right saw young Terry Taylor whip in a superb cross which Scott Wright headed powerfully goalward but keeper Connor Cullen produced a save of the highest quality to turn the ball behind for a corner.

Neither side made any changes at the interval, but only two minutes of the second period had elapsed when Jags centre back and captain Michael McMullin was booked for a tug on the shirt of Miles Storey. On 50 minutes McLaughlin saw a fine shot tipped over and from the resulting corner Penrice delivered a great ball into the box which was met by an excellent diving header from Granger who made it 2-0 to the visitors. Two minutes later Stokes crashed a shot off the post after a McLaughlin pass as Thistle threatened to run away with the game. The Dons broke forward to win a corner but Kesi Omolokun was wide with a header after a deep delivery from Frank Ross.
On 56 minutes Sam Robertson came on for Ross, Taylor moving forward into midfield to allow Sam to slot into the right back berth. A quick break by Storey created an opening for Wright but his fine shot was always just too high to trouble the Partick keeper. Just past the hour mark, Paul Sheerin made a double switch. McLennan and Antoniazzi coming on for Wells, who had taken a knock, and Bruce Anderson. Partick continued to push forward and Craddock was again called into action saving well from McLaughlin's shot after a cross from McInally on the right.
Miles Storey picked up a yellow card for dissent following a contentious drop ball decision from referee Duncan. With just over ten minutes to play Thistle threw on James Stokes in place of Lamont which meant there were twin brothers on the field for the Firhill kids. On 80 minutes the Dons battled their way back into the reckoning when Connor McLennan slid the ball home after a fine burst of one touch football. A lovely goal after a great passing move.
As the Dons pushed forward there were two late bookings, first for Dylan Thomas after a challenge on Wilson then for Thistle left back Penrice for holding back Wright. Try as they might the Dons just could not fashion an equaliser and Thistle ran out narrow winners, the two goal deficit given away just after half time proving too much for Aberdeen to recover from.