THE long hours on the treatment table were all worthwhile for Alex Jones when the ball hit the back of the net as he opened his goalscoring account for Partick Thistle.
Having made the switch from Bradford in the summer, Jones naturally wanted to hit the ground running but just eight games into his Firhill career suffered an ankle injury that would keep him on the sidelines for three months.
The striker returned to action for their win over Queen of the South that lifted them off the foot of the Championship and he enabled Ian McCall’s side to keep moving in an upward trajectory by producing a composed finish when clean through on goal to notch the opener in their 3-1 win over Inverness that lifted Partick up to eighth.
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Jones said: “I’m delighted to get off the mark. It’s been frustrating the last few months being injured, so that makes all the hours in the treatment room worthwhile.
“You don’t realise how difficult it is when you are injured, you are away from all the lads. It can be quite lonely and difficult but that’s part and parcel of football. I’m just glad that’s behind me now.
“I want to kick on now and get more goals, definitely. The last two weeks to get the minutes in my legs and get a goal has been really pleasing, so I need to push on now and show what I’m about.
“That’s the first time we’ve had back-to-back league wins all season, so we just need to keep building and putting in good performances. We’re all full of confidence.”
Jones’ opener came in the 48th minute but that was soon cancelled out as James Keatings drew Inverness level. Steven Saunders restored Partick’s lead and substitute Dario Zanatta sealed the win in injury-time with a lovely finish from an acute angle.
During a goalless first half Inverness’ 6ft 4in striker Jordan White was booked for diving following a tangle with Tam O’Ware. White was adamant it should have been a penalty, as was his manager John Robertson who was booked for his protests, and insists referee Steven McLean was wrong to caution him as he didn’t dive.
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White said: “He has booked me for diving and I’ve never dived in my life. It’s not something I do because I know if I did dive I’d look too clumsy.
“I’ve never been booked for diving before, I’m not one to dive.
“It’s easier for a wee guy to dive as I go down in stages. Maybe because I did go down he thought I looked too clumsy but I was gobsmacked, I couldn’t believe it.
“It is disappointing as I felt we were on top and I’ve clearly been pulled back. The referee gave a free kick for exactly the same thing against me two seconds later so I don’t understand the consistency.”
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