There was a great feeling of anticipation as the game got underway. A travelling support numbering more than 1,600 is a rarity for followers of the claret and amber and urged on by the singing section there was a belief that it might be a successful afternoon. That was encouraged as Sutton's early attempt has us on our feet. We were not to know we had seen the best chance of the day.
Neither team impressed in the first half but we knew that a change in tactics and personnel was needed. There was hardly a passing move worthy of the name. Time after time we resorted to long punts in the general direction of Sutton, Erwin or McDonald and the Thistle defence was untroubled.
Both goals could have been avoided. McDonald gave away an unnecessary free kick and we followed it up with slack defending that ended with an unchallenged header by Taylor. The same player scored the second but only because Laing failed to cut out the low squared ball that set up the striker.
Courtesy of MFC TV
It was hardly a surprise to hear that the manager was unable to conjure up anything positive to say about the performance. "It's a set-back. It's the first game in six or seven where there hasn't been that spark. We've chosen the wrong game to have that lull."
Details of the post-split fixtures are not yet known but we can anticipate facing Hamilton, Partick Thistle, Kilmarnock, Ross County and St Mirren. In theory we should have three of those clashes at Fir Park but regardless of how the scheduler arranges the final five games if we repeat the failings that were so evident at Firhill we’ll be in the playoff.
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