Kris Doolan has hailed Partick Thistle’s win over Ross County as ‘brilliant’ but admits: ‘It could have been more’.
The Jags take a 2-0 first leg advantage to Dingwall this weekend after victory over Malky Mackay’s men at Firhill. Aidan Fitzpatrick opened the scoring with an excellent bit of solo magic before curling home across the keeper. Moments later the visitors were reduced to ten after Dylan Smith, 16, was sent packing following a VAR review.
Brian Graham then volleyed home a stunning second as the Scottish Championship side increased their advantage on the night. Had it not been for some big last ditch blocks and top saves from Ross Laidlaw the scoreline could have been much greater. Doolan believes that should have been the case but admits if offered 2-0 before a ball was kicked he’d have ‘taken your hand off’ for it.
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The Thistle boss said: “It was a brilliant win for us – but it could have been more.
“If you’d offered us 2-0 before the game, we would obviously have taken your hand off. But it could have been more. To me, it maybe should have been more.
“Part of that is down to Ross County defending well and throwing their bodies on the line.
“Their goalie also made a good save at the end to tip one on to the bar. If we had managed to get a third, it might well have been a different game.
“But we know it’s not over. There’s still another game to be played on Sunday. We only have one way of playing – and we will go out and look to do the same in Dingwall.
“We know that if we can go there and win the game, we will be back in the Premiership.”
Staggies boss Mackay added: “We started fairly brightly and created a couple of half chances.
“But we lost a bad goal. It was a great strike from Fitzpatrick but poor defending from our lads that were out facing it. I thought we were doing okay at that point but then we lost young Dylan.
“He’s a great kid and has been terrific in his first season as a pro but in retrospect he’s nicked the boy and it was a sending off. That obviously gives us a mountain to climb.
“We then lose the goal just before half-time and when I got the boys back inside, I said to them the challenge was to make sure we come out here no worse than two-down.
“I didn’t want us to sink in to our own penalty box as that would have just been carnage. So to see us threaten them a few times was what I needed.
“Second half I was really proud of them and at only two-down, there is plenty to play for on Sunday.”
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