His T-shirt read 100 and counting, and Kris Doolan clearly meant it. The Partick Thistle striker brought up his century for Partick Thistle yesterday to become the first man since Davie McParland to achieve the feat, and in turn brought his side back from the dead against Ross County. As his sartorial statement set out though, he wasn’t finished there, and his 101st soon followed to wrap up three points which should see Thistle safe in the top six with three games to go.
Craig Curran had given the visitors the lead just before the hour, and at that stage County had been the better side, but nothing was going to spoil what the club have now christened as April Dools Day at Firhill. The fact that the milestone was reached as part of such a satisfying day for the club as a whole just made it all the sweeter.
“I was ecstatic,” said the man himself. “The 100th goal was the one that got us back in the game and we couldn’t go too mental just in case we lost the game. We were joking about that afterwards.
“To go on and win the game is the bigger picture for us. To do it in a game that cements us into the top six is massive and we are almost over the line.”
That they are, as their four point advantage over seventh-placed Kilmarnock looks unlikely to be overcome with just three games remaining to the split.
If they are to achieve the feat, it will round off a special season for both Doolan and the club he has grown to love.
“It is about making memories,” he said. “As a team, we want to establish ourselves in the history books at the club. All the boys want to come away with their names remembered and I think we are heading in the right direction.”
And yet, for a long time in this game it looked as though the celebratory t-shirt would remain under wraps for the second successive game.
County had started the stronger and Thistle struggled to get to grips with the high tempo pressing and physical nature of their play in a first half that was largely forgettable, save for the visitors breaking the monotony just before the interval as Jason Naismith headed a Liam Boyce cross off the face of the bar.
And it was County who took the lead as a determined run down the right from Martin Woods saw him force the ball back to Curran just inside the area, and the forward produced a stunning strike across Cerny and into the far corner.
Thistle weren’t behind for long though, and the roof almost came off the Jackie Husband stand as that man Doolan brought up his century in fine style.
A cross from the right eventually found its way to the forward with his back to goal, and he took it on the chest and turned in one motion, before firing low beyond Fox.
He ripped off his shirt to reveal the T-shirt emblazoned with his achievement, and rather fittingly, referee Willie Collum assumed the role of pantomime villain by producing the yellow card.
“I think I said to Willie that he could book me all day long,” Doolan joked. “That top was coming off one way or another.”
There was still time to push for the winner, and that man Doolan played a wonderful exchange with Adam Barton before powering into the area and poking the ball into the corner. He was rather popular around these parts before today you know, but his days of putting his hand in his pocket for a pint on Maryhill Road are now well and truly over.
For County boss Jim McIntyre, it was another day of regret, particularly around a penalty he felt his side should have had for a tug on Alex Schalk.
“It’s 100% a penalty," McIntyre said. "I’ve watched it back, Alex has got a foot in the box and big [Liam] Lindsay has given him a tug and spun him. Willie thinks there’s nothing in it, but not getting that was a sickener."
PARTICK THISTLE: Cerny; Dumbuya, Keown, Lindsay, Elliott; Barton, Osman; Erskine (Azeez, 61), Edwards, Lawless; Doolan.
Scorers: Doolan (64’, 79’)
Booked: Doolan, Edwards, Lawless
ROSS COUNTY: Fox; Fraser, Davies, McEveley (Gardyne,76’); Naismith, Woods, Routis, Van Der Weg, McEveley; Curran (81’), Boyce.
Scorers: Curran (58’)
Booked: Woods, Fraser, Van Der Weg
Referee: Willie Collum
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