THERE was a moment, deep inside the second half on Saturday, when a peculiar reality took hold around Firhill.
Howls of frustration cascaded down from the stands.
A Livingston attack broke down and the ball fell to James Craigen midway inside the Partick Thistle half. Glancing upfield, the midfielder would have noted that the visitors were exposed but, instead of attempting to pick out one of his advancing team-mates, he chose to roll a pass sideways, maintaining possession but allowing the demoralised West Lothian side to regroup. "We wanted seven," brayed one supporter, not sated by his side's 6-1 advantage.
Several fellow fans chuckled scornfully but others will have appreciated that reason lay behind his frustration. After all, if Thistle and Morton maintain their form over the final few weeks of the season, goal difference could well be all that separates the sides come the final reckoning.
Right now, the picture remains shrouded by uncertainty. Morton lead the first division by two points but have played two games more and have a goal difference of 29 to Thistle's 40. There is, however, the consideration of what might happen should Dunfermline Athletic be liquidated; the Fifers' results may become null and void, an outcome that would leave Morton four points clear. Regardless, that would still leave matters in Thistle's hands, with victories in their rearranged fixtures with Cowdenbeath on Wednesday and Raith Rovers next midweek enough to return them to the summit ahead of the epic April 10 visit of Morton.
On the evidence of Saturday, you would fancy them to get those wins, too. Thistle's players responded to the appointment of Alan Archibald as permanent manager with a performance of guile, ambition and ruthlessness to sweep aside a Livingston team considered the third best in the division. Four ahead at the break despite having just five attempts on goal, they were just as clinical after the interval, scoring twice more from three chances to complete a sextet of excellent efforts.
"Goal difference is worth an extra point," said Craigen, whose first strike for the club followed an Aaron Muirhead penalty and Steven Craig header and preceded a cute Steven Lawless dink, a Kris Doolan volley and an accomplished Chris Erskine finish after a delightful Doolan exchange.
That each of the goals came from different scorers was even more eye-catching.
"We stressed at half-time the importance of helping the goal difference," added Archibald. "We've not got one guy scoring 20 but I think we've got goals all over the pitch, which is important if you get an injury or suspension."
Livingston could commend that statement. Without banned centre-back Jesus Garcia Tena and flu-ridden playmaker Stefan Scougall, the visitors struggled badly, even if their dedication to passing the ball was rewarded by Paul Watson's goal early in the second half, the first Thistle have conceded in six games.
Richie Burke's team were utterly abject defensively, though, with goalkeeper Andrew McNeil doing little to inspire confidence among his edgy centre-backs, who never really recovered from the award of a debatable 18th-minute penalty when Watson was adjudged to have handled Lawless' shot. From then, Thistle looked like scoring every time they attacked. More often than not, they did.
Whether interim coach Burke is given the opportunity to put things right will be confirmed this morning when Livingston unveil their new management team. His chances do not appear favourable. Granted, the decision was made before Saturday's defeat but the delayed announcement would suggest this loss will mark an unpleasant end to Burke's brief tenure.
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