Cowdenbeath V Partick Thistle

After last Saturday’s narrow defeat at Firhill Partick Thistle are once again our opponents on Saturday afternoon as we play our first home game for a month.
Despite taking the lead for the sixth successive match, with Kane Hemmings scoring his second Cowden goal, we left Glasgow pointless after the Jags hit back through Steven Craig and Conrad Balatoni.
Thistle will be under new management for their trip to Fife following Jackie McNamara’s move to Dundee United along with assistant Simon Donnelly on Wednesday afternoon.
The Firhill board moved swiftly to install captain Alan Archibald, who played in his 423rd game for Thistle last week, as interim boss with former Jag Scott Paterson returning to Firhill as his assistant.
 
With the close of the winter transfer window on Thursday we were able to secure the loan of Kane Hemmings for another month from Rangers, while Sam Stanton, who missed last Saturday’s game due to injury, will remain at Central Park until the end of the season.
 
Striker Craig Moore (18) was also signed on loan from Motherwell in midweek until the beginning of next month and will go into the squad for Saturday’s big game.
The Glasgow born youngster has hit the net five times for the Well under 20 side this season in 11 (+1 sub) games.
 
Also going into the squad for Saturday is Championship winning captain Jon Robertson who returned to Central Park on Thursday night on loan from St Mirren.
‘Robbo’ who worked his way through the Central Park youth ranks played in 106 (+22 sub) games for us after signing from Muiriston United in January 2007 scoring 12 times the last of which was against Hibs in the William Hill Scottish Cup last season.
This season he has played in 11 (+ 7 sub) games for the Paisley Buddies scoring once.
 
Meanwhile player/manager Colin Cameron is once again eligible for selection after serving his one game suspension, although Liam Caddis has now returned to St Johnstone.
 
MATCH SPONSORS – BLACK & MARKIE SOLICITORS (DUNFERMLINE).
 
COWDEN FORM
We have now gone 16 games without a win in the Irn Bru First Division during which time we have had eight draws and eight defeats.
Our last home game was a month ago when we held league leaders Morton to a 1-1 draw, since then however we have went down to successive 2-1 defeats at Hamilton and Partick.
Our home league record so far this season is
 
Played 9, Won 1, Drawn 5, Lost 3, Goals For 12, Goals Against 17, Points 8.
 
PARTICK THISTLE FORM
Although they sit in second place with the best home record in the division the Jags away record hasn’t been as impressive as they Firhill form with only ten points from a possible 27 on the road.
Their two away wins so far have come at Dunfermline in August and at Livingston the following month and they are now on a run of seven away league games without a win.
In their last away game on 12th January they lost 2-0 at the inform Dumbarton.
 
Partick Thistle’s away league record this season is
Played 9, Won 2, Drawn 4, Lost 3, Goals For 8, Goals Against 11, Points 10.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Top scorer Chris Erskine was in fine form in last week’s game at Firhill but once again Steven Craig also proved to be a thorn in our side scoring for the second time against us this season for the Jags equaliser.
 
MATCH OFFICIALS
Taking charge of the match is Paul Robertson who will be assisted by Andy Tait and Howard Wilkin.
 
ADMISSION
Adults - £15
Concessions - £8
Family - £16 (Parent & 1 Child under 12)
 
All supporters will enter the ground via the main turnstiles.
 
THE BLUE BRASILIAN
Due to financial restraints we will be issuing the match programme which was printed for the original date in December. However the programme will contain a 4 page update insert bringing it up to a 48 page issue for the usual £2.
 
Remember all profits raised from the sales of our multi award winning programme go towards helping your club so get your copy on Saturday!