Manager Post Partick

27/04/13: - "We feel that we should have left with the three points based on one fantastic, phenomenal second half performance."

In reviewing the match against Thistle, Jim Jefferies claimed that he had never ever felt quite so gutted by a result. For 23 second half minutes his team were in line to secure their First Division place only to see that slip out of their grasp in the fifth minute of time added on by referee Willie Collum. He said:-

"That was one magnificent second half performance. I told Alan Archibald that we had three good chances that could have seen us five or six up in the second half with just an unbelievable change.

"We played solid but sat too deep in the first half and that allowed them too much of the ball. Although they did not create much, we were always under pressure but dealt well with it. Our goalkeeper did not have a great deal of saves to make but they were the ones who had us on the back foot most of the time. We broke a couple of times and nearly scored ourselves. There was one great run from Josh Falkingham and a ball whipped across the face that was just begging to be put in. That cross came from Whittle.

"We decided to take John Potter off and just go with a back four so that we could get somebody off the front two who could fill that hole and give them someone to worry them. Ryan Wallace did that well for us even though it was touch and go whether he could even be on the bench. He only trained yesterday.

"Andy Geggan probably only felt he was turning up today but we took a gamble on him hoping that we might get half an hour out of him if we needed him. But what a transformation in the second half, we just totally dominated the game. Thistle were a more experienced team, they are a good team who deserve to be champions and they are always going to put you under pressure.

"I suppose we are a little bit aggrieved with Mr Collum and the five and a half minutes he added on. I think he added time on from the time Ryan Thomson went to the ground but the game was still going on. I don't think that he should have added anything on then because as soon as the referee stopped the game, the boy walked off. The game was going on so I don't know where he found five minutes.

"Cowdenbeath lost so at 3-2 we were home and dry because there is so big a gap in goal difference. It was just a terrific performance; that is what pleases you most. I just felt really sorry for the boys that they didn't hold on. It was a combination of too much time added on and those young kids legs got a bit heavy.

"There were a couple of great opportunities to clear it from the cross that came in. It was more tiredness but that is what you get with young boys. They give you everything but sometimes they just run out of steam due to the lack of the physical side. That is what probably what cost us a goal at the end. The young lad that went on missed a header and completely mistimed his jump. It fell for Steve Lawless and it was hard to take. We did not deserve that on our second half performance.

"There were so many great chances. It was a bit frustrating that they missed them but to come back like they did and keep playing away, you just can't speak highly enough of them. They are a terrific bunch of boys.

"Probably to come here and get the draw everybody would have said beforehand that would have been a decent result but we feel that we should have left with the three points based on one fantastic, phenomenal second half performance."