Jags left stunned after Duff home performance

Last updated : 08 September 2004 By Chris Gallagher
The biggest first division crowd of the season bore witness to arguably the biggest shock of the first division season as Falkirk ran out convincing winners at Firhill.
After 5 straight wins the Jags faithful was in buoyant mood and were expecting a competitive, hard fought game with the real possibility of plenty of goals.
They just didn’t expect it all to take place at Kenny Arthur’s goal.
The predatory instincts of ex Rangers kid Darryl Duffy left Gerry Britton and Derek White feeling dazed and confused as the youngster bagged a brace, with Mark Campbell and sub Neil Scally getting in on the act.
Debate has raged then and now about the tactics employed and whether the once again impressive Manny Panther should have started the game but the Firhill faithful would do well to view this a mere speed bump on the road back to the SPL than an dead end sign.
Clearly there is no need to panic as the Jags remain just 4 points behind Clyde and one behind Falkirk who were surprisingly being tipped as champions elect in some media quarters on Sunday despite the fact they are still only THIRD.
But to the game itself and ex Jag Andy Thomson who in a handful of games has scored as many goals for the Bairns as he did for Thistle last season (?) showed the home defence a clean pair of heels before crossing for Duffy to open the scoring.
The Partick back line were still in a state of shock at Thomson working, rather moving when before they knew it they were 2 down.
Russell Latapy, he of the amazing technique but abysmal dedication to his profession slotted a defence splitting pass past Madaschi and Murray, which the lively Duffy lifted over Arthur and into the gaping net.
Two down after 25 minutes should the Britton/Whyte management team have changed it now? Whatever the case the same eleven emerged for the second half presumably having had the hair dryer treatment but again it was Latapy whose corner resembled a set of red hot curling tongs in full swirl as it evaded the defence and allowed Campbell time and space to volley home.
Honestly the defending was awful, even more so than that analogy. 
Latapy combined again with Duffy on 62 mins to set free the youngster seemingly for his hat-trick however this time the sympathetic linesman ruled the striker to be offside.
The bumper home support at last had something to cheer 5 minutes later when Juan Roman Escalas teed up Manny Panther and for once a foreigner and young Scot combined to good effect for Thistle.
But any hopes of a fight back were dashed in the last five minutes when Pedro Moutinho who really should be a cocksure, super manager with a name like that teed up Scally who buried his chance.
Truly awful but lets not hit the panic button yet.