SCOTLA N Do n SU N DAY SPORT DECEMBER 5, 2004 PREMIERLEAGUE LIVE 3 McCall’s troubles meat and drink to Butcher Partick stung by DUNDEE UTD 0 significant difference in the cal- Kerchar failed to traumatise teasingly before dropping over Jason Scotland introduced soon ibre of his charges and those of Gordon Marshall while David the line. into the second period, the Ter- resurgent Saints M OT H E RW E L L 1 TerryButcher.Yet the FirPark Clarkson found himself offside Eventually,the hosts began to rors raised the tempo of the pro- Paterson 17 side endeavoured primarily to to waste JimPaterson’s cun- apply some pressure o f their o wn ceedings and although they lived break at speed but, admirably, ning trickery. However, the but were repeatedly the masters dangerously as they pushed for- PARTICK THISTLE 0 was rotten luck that their only MARK WOODS AT TANNADICE opted for patience where it was former Tannadice midfielder of their own downfall, Barry ward in ever greater numbers, chance fell to Billy Gibson, a due. That is where, marginally, never let his shacklers settle all Robson fluffing when set free by Butcher's rearguard was pres- ST JOHNSTONE 4 player not acclaimedfor his RE-INSTALLED at the foot of they set themselves apart from afternoon and it was he who Mark Wilson's subtle pass. surised with increasing weight. McCann 14, Anderson 35, MacDonald 75, Hay composure in front of goal. Gib- the Premierleague, Dundee United, whose breakneck raids gave Motherwell the lead in the As half-time beckoned, Rich- In the closing stages, home 83. son, with time to consider his United’s discomfortcontinues. brought plentiful foraysinto 17th minute. ie Foran skulked again in the hearts pulsated, then sank, options, thumped the ball How Ian McCall must hope that the box without the necessary Howfortunate he was, box but his header was when Grant Brebner liberated RAYMOND TRAVERS AT FIRHILL straight at Allan McGregor the patience of his chairman accompaniment of substantial however, that Paul Jarvie had scrambled away amid a panicked Robson on the left, only for him when he really should have exceeds that of his team’s sup- suppor t . smeared his gloves with jelly. scrum. In its midst, David Clark- to hit the opposite upright. IT HAS hardly been an auspi- picked his spot. porters, who unleashed afeisty As miserable though their Speculatively firing from 30 son tumbled and was stretchered Dundee Utd: Jarvie, Wilson, McCracken, cious campaign for twoof the It became even grimmer for chorus of boos once more yes- form is, one can easily admire metres out when Stuart Duff off, only to be followed seconds Ritchie, Archibald, Duff (Dodds, 71), Brebner, pre-seasonpromotion favour- home fans, many of whom were Robson, Kerkar (Samuel, 46), Grady (Scotland, terday at Tannadice as Mother- McCall’s crafted modus but in declined to close himdown, later by Scott Leitch, who was 60), McIntyre. Subs Not Used: Cameron, Innes, ites,but the importance of this audiblydisparaging of players’ well grafted out yet another straits this dire, finesse is, ar- Paterson could not have expec- forced to depart after taking a Callaghan, Hirschfeld. match, particularly for the efforts throughout, when Motherwell: Marshall, Corrigan, Craigan, diligent performance to cement guably, expendable if his team ted to notch a fourth goal of blow to the face as Paul Quinn Partridge, Hammell, Fitzpatrick, Leitch (Quinn, home side, could not be over- Steven Anderson prodded in St their place in the top half. is to haul itself clear of danger. the season when Jarvie got and Kenneth Wright came on to 45), Paterson, McBride, Clarkson (Wright, 45), stated. Floundering precari- Johnstone’s second ten Foran (Fagan, 88). Subs Not Used: Burns, Has the Patter: Jim Paterson’s YetMcCall merits sympathy. Thesides exchanged innoc- handsbehindthe ball but stretch their legs. Cowan, Kinniburgh, Corr. ously close to the relegation minutes before half-time. first-half goal proved decisive Once more, there was no uous threats earlyon. Karim allowed it to spin out, bouncing With Collin Samuel and Referee: D McDonald zone, Thistle co-managers The Maryhill men showed Gerry Britton and Derek Whyte more application after the re- must have suspected that an- start – Juan Escalas’s first time other trouncing might seri- effort was blootered off the goal ously damagetheir immediate line – but it was St Johnstone job prospects. who continued to look the more Last week Britton and Whyte accomplished side. MacDon- celebrated, if that is the right ald, with a header,and substi- Gough lifts new troops as word, 12 months in charge of tute Chris Hayadded twolate Thistle, and before a quarter of goalsfromclose rangetoun- an hour had elapsed yesterday derline the visitors superiority. they were again confronting No question about it, John Con- adversity. Prior to St John- nolly’s side were not flattered stone’s opener, the match had by the margin of victory. furnished precisely nothing as Thistle? Youcannot fault a spectacle, but there was no them for effort, but they clearly they battle in the basement denying the subtlety ofRyan lack quality, and terracing McCann’s finishing. chants of “What aload of rub- Manofthe Match Peter Mac- bish” will clearly not do much to Donald was the provider, chip- cheer Messrs Britton and L I V I N G STO N 1 ping the ball over Thistle’s ad- W hy t e . vancing defenders into the path McPake 23 Partick Thistle Arthur, Gibson, Dowie, of McCann, who coolly rounded Murray, Madaschi (Milne, 70), Fulton, Wilkinson, Fleming (McLaren, 37), Escalas, Hinds, Ross. DUNDEE 0 KennyArthur beforestroking St Johnstone McGregor, Anderson, Tait, the ball home from 12 yards. Hannah, Webb, Maxwell, McCann, Sheerin, MacDonald (Hay, 80), Moore, McAnespie (Hardy, MARTIN HANNAN Thistle enjoyed decent pos- 86). AT ALMONDVALE session in the first half,but it Referee: J Rowbotham. WITH signs of his influence already obvious in their play, Livingston welcomed new Rovers dealt harsh manager Richard Gough by hauling themselves off the foot of the SPL with a gutsy display against fellowstrugglers Dun- lesson in Dumfries dee. It was no classic, as one would expect from two teams in the basement, but the 4,500 crowd that braved the wintry QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 2 Darren Brady's corner was conditions saw plentypassages flicked on by the head of Shaun Lyle 25, Paton 65 of skill among the rubbish. Dennis, but the ball whizzed A scrappy start sawDundee RAITH ROVERS 0 agonisingly across the face of in the ascendancy at first, but the goal, and despite Anthony the visitors sufferedan early STUART FARQUHAR Bartholome's sinew-bulging blow when Iain Anderson was AT PALMERSTON PARK contortions, God simply didn't carried offafter an awkward give the Frenchman a neck long landing in the10thminute. IAIN SCOTT'S battling Queen enough to nod it in. “He felt something click in his of the South team earned an- The second half was spiced knee and was in severe pain,” other well-deserved three up by some bruising tackles and explained manager JimDuffy points with an accomplished a more direct approach from afterwards. “It will be Tuesday display against struggling both teams, which saw play ebb before we know how bad it is.” Raith Rovers. and flow from goalmouthto With Stephen McNally on in The Dumfries side's two-goal goalmouth. Raith again began Anderson’s place, man of the win over Gordon Dalziel's men in positive mood, with Moussa match Stephen Adam took full was no less than they deserved Quattara covering more than advantage of his inexperience after they gave the visitors a les- half of the pitch before letting and was the game’s most influ- son in teamwork and determ- fly with a 20-yard shot that flew ential player. At this point it was i n at i o n . low past the post. fairly open, largely because Raith seemed unable to But as in the first half, Gor- neither side could string operate as aunit, and sub- don Dalziel's side seemedto together some passes, and over- sequently failed to hold any gradually lose their direction, all it was amuddling first half sustained possession or control and just after the hour mark, livened only by James McPake’s of the game. the home side doubled their first goal for the club in the 23rd The visitors opened the first leadwith agoal which was minute. Just before that score, half with some glimpses of sublime in its simplicity and Dundee had a clear-cut chance lively playand sharp passing, deliver y. when John Sutton put Steve but the part-timers gradually Gibson wrong-footed the Lovell through, only for the hero found their stride, and broke Raith defence by rolling his of last week’s match against the deadlock after 25 minutes corner kick into the path of Celtic to trip over his own feet. with their first goal attempt. Paton, and the former Hibs and TheLivingston goal owed Willie Gibson's seemingly Clydebank man could not have much to good refereeing by Ian harmless corner was poorly connected with the ball more Fyfe. Along clearance was dealt with by the Raith defence, sweetly, and it flew into the top headed on by Jim Hamilton a nd allowing Eric Paton to fling left corner of the goal. McPake had his shirt tugged by himself into the path of ahalf- Queen of the South: Scott, Paton, English, Burns, Craig, Thomson, Bagan, Bowey Bobby Mann, but after Fyfe im- hearted clearance. The ball (McColligan 74), McLaughlin (Jaconelli 90), Lyle, mediately signalled play-on, broke to Derek Lyle, who found Gibson (McNiven 88).