Partick Thistle 0 Heart of Midlothian 4
Ladbrokes SPFL Premiership, Saturday 31 October 2015, Firhill
Hearts moved into second place in the Ladbrokes SPFL Premiership on Saturday following a 4-0 win over Partick Thistle in Glasgow.
A brace apiece for Juanma and Osman Sow saw the Maroons run out comfortable winners and made it three league wins in a row for Robbie Neilson’s side.
Neilson made three changes to the team that lost to Celtic in the League Cup on Wednesday night. Juwon Oshaniwa, Arnaud Djoum and Danny Swanson returned to the starting line-up, replacing Blazej Augustyn, Morgaro Gomis and Jamie Walker.
It took just a couple of minutes for Hearts to threaten. After Osman Sow was fouled, stand-in captain Callum Paterson fired in a long-range free-kick which went wide.
Good play from Djoum then sent Juanma free and when the Belgian took the return pass from the Spaniard, his effort on goal was blocked – Danny Swanson firing the rebound wide.
Bannigan then had a chance for the home side but his volley went over the bar.
Nine minutes before half-time, Hearts went ahead. A free-kick from Swanson was headed goalwards by Sam Nicholson and was saved by Thistle keeper Scully. However, Sow got to the loose ball, turning it back for Juanma to fire home.
The dangerous Swanson then forced a fine save from Scully as Hearts ended the first half on top.
Half-time Partick Thistle 0 Hearts 1
Hearts took just six minutes of the second half to increase their lead. This time it was Juanma who passed to Sow who turned away from a Thistle defender before stabbing home.
Paterson then unleashed another long-range effort which was saved well by the busy Scully before Hearts were awarded a penalty in the 62nd minute when Djoum was brought down. Juanma slotted home the spot kick and Hearts were in easy street.
Paterson seemed determined to lead by example of being captain by firing another long-range effort before the Maroons were awarded another penalty kick five minutes before the end. Home keeper Scully was red-carded for bringing down Sow and the big Swede dusted himself off and fired home Hearts fourth goal of the afternoon. Former Jambo Ryan Stevenson went in goal for Thistle as they had used all of their substitutes.
Despite the emphatic scoreline, Robbie Neilson didn’t cut a happy figure after the game.
“The result is great, but the performance isn’t where we want to be,” Neilson told BBC Scotland. “It was a good performance in the second-half, but I thought in the first half we were pretty poor and I was disappointed with that.
“I know we came in at 1-0 up, but it wasn’t very exciting, the passing wasn’t as good as it should have been. To come away from home and get a 4-0 win is great, but I want to make sure we play better football at times.”
Partick Thistle: Scully, Seaborne (Frans, 65′), Welsh (Muirhead, 58′), Booth, Osman, Amoo, Bannigan, Lawless (Stevenson, 53′), Dumbuya, Lindsay, Pogba.
Hearts: Alexander, Paterson, McGhee, Rossi, Oshaniwa, Djoum, Buaben, Nicholson (Zanatta, 70′), Swanson (Gomis, 58′), Juanma (King, 63′), Sow.
Referee: Steven McLean
Att: 4,776
Top man: Osman Sow
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
