By Gary McKenzie
March 27 2003

Friendly, Wednesday 26 March 2003, Links Park, Montrose. Montrose 0 Partick Thistle 4 (Britton 25, 38, Elliot 45, 80). The SPL side cruise to victory against a battling Montrose... One would have expected an SPL side to defeat Montrose easily, and Partick did, although we played a lot of decent football.

The game started with the crowd expectantly waiting to see the mystery trialists who were supposed, according to this morning's Courier, to play. The murmuring from the supporters were that Craig Cooper was back, but there was no sign of any trialists in the starting lineup or on the bench. Foiled again!

Another surprise in the starting 11 was Grant Johnston, although he lasted only 20 minutes, limping off to be replaced by Alan Budd.

Both teams were passing the ball in the opening exchanges but on 25 minutes Gerry Britton rose to head against the bar from a corner, and he managed to force the ball home from the rebound. It was a cruel blow, and Montrose looked stunned.

Robbie Henderson shot just wide on 30 minutes after he had run on to a ball over the top of the Thistle defence.

Britton made it two after 38 minutes when the Montrose defence went to sleep at another corner and he slotted it home in a crowded penalty area.

Thistle ended the game as a contest on the stroke of half-time when McCheyne gave the ball away on the centre line (deja vu...?) and Elliot finished well.

The second half started much as the first had ended, but Montrose didn't make the most of the chances created, and it was no surprise when Elliot made it 4 with 10 minutes remaining, with a lovely shot from the edge of the box.

Webster made way for Sharp, Ross Lindsay came on for Brand and keeper, McGlynn, was replaced by Hankinson, but the Jags played down the clock with some possession football, and we learned a hard lesson.

Mo Team

McGlynn, Donachie, Ferguson, McCheyne, Christie, McQuillan, Webster, Johnston, Brand, Henderson, McDonald

Subs: Budd, Sharp, Lindsay, Hankinson