PARTICK THISTLE manager Alan Archibald was delighted with his side’s battling qualities after a ruthless second-half performance ensured they would return from the Highlands full of festive cheer by climbing off the bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership table with a confident win over Ross County.
Goals from Liam Lindsay, Kris Doolan and Chris Erskine in the second half finally gave the Thistle manager points to go with the performance as a wild, wintry night in Dingwall transformed into a winter wonderland for the hardy travelling support.
The result sees the visitors move within two points of County in the top-flight table after the home side yet again failed to put together two consecutive wins, a feat they haven’t achieved since August.
“We’ve been resolute away from home but didn’t get the rewards at Parkhead the other night after a good performance and Tynecastle before,” he said.
“We probably played better in those two games, but tonight was more about a battle, endeavour, a gritty performance – and scoring at the right times.The only negative was their goal.
“We climb four places and you don’t want to be bottom at Christmas. I don’t think we can be now so we can go and build on that.”
Storm Barbara had threatened to impact this festive fixture, but conditions were almost perfect for the majority of the game other than the odd flurry of sleet and snow.
The hosts made the brighter start as Tim Chow and Christopher Routis tried long-range efforts, but Thistle grew more comfortable as the half wore on and produced a good opportunity when Erskine fired a shot at goal that was beaten away well by Fox.
Archibald appeared to have worked magic with his half-time team talk as the visitors raced out of the blocks after referee John Beaton restarted proceedings.
Lindsay rose to meet a Sean Welsh corner and powered a header beyond the helpless Scott Fox into the top corner, marking the central defender’s sixth goal of the season.
It got better just after the half-hour mark as County again failed to deal with Thistle’s aerial threat. Callum Booth delivered a cross from the left hand side which was met by striker Doolan, who found the corner expertly to double the visitors’ lead.
County reacted and had a golden chance to pull one back only four minutes later, when top scorer Liam Boyce was sent clean through on goal only to be denied by the sprawling Tomas Cerny.
The uncharacteristic wastefulness of Boyce was punished when Erskine put the result beyond doubt with 12 minutes remaining, firing high into the net after fashioning some space for himself inside the County box.
Premiership top scorer Boyce scored his 11th goal of the season on the 83rd minute when he powered in a header from Marcus Fraser’s cross, but it was too little too late for the hosts.
The result will put Archibald’s side in confident mood ahead of their remaining fixtures in 2016 as they look to move up a congested table in home games against Dundee and Kilmarnock.
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