Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Pollok and Partick Thistle played out a 0-0 draw in their pre-season friendly at Newlandsfield Park, with Conor Storey's 77th-minute save the defining moment.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
The first half passed without a goal, with both teams feeling their way into the campaign. Partick Thistle fielded a strong starting XI including Tony Watt, Lee Ashcroft and Lewis Budinauckas in goal, while Pollok began with their own familiar core plus a trialist.
Thistle's competitive edge grew after the interval. They forced four corners between the 64th and 69th minutes but could not turn territorial pressure into a goal.
The closest either side came arrived in the 77th minute. A defensive mix-up at the back allowed Pollok a clear sight of goal, only for substitute goalkeeper Conor Storey — on for Budinauckas — to stretch out a foot and deny the home side from close range.
Josh Miller cut in from the left and sent a shot over the bar in the 76th minute. Thistle continued to press from corners: Dan O'Reilly headed Aidan Fitzpatrick's delivery too high in the 83rd minute, and Liam Dolan glanced a header just wide from a Paddy Reading cross in the 87th. The final whistle confirmed a stalemate.
The Turning Point
Storey's reflex stop in the 77th minute was the single decisive moment. With Pollok poised to score after a rare defensive lapse, the second-choice goalkeeper's alertness kept the scores level. Had that chance gone in, Pollok would have been six minutes from a notable scalp against the Championship side.
Key Performers
Conor Storey (Partick Thistle) — Introduced from the bench, Storey made the save of the match with an outstretched foot to deny Pollok after a defensive error. A strong audition for more minutes in pre-season.
Aidan Fitzpatrick (Partick Thistle) — The substitute was instrumental after coming on, delivering multiple dangerous corners that created Thistle's best openings.
Dan O'Reilly (Partick Thistle) — Won two headers from Fitzpatrick corners, though neither found the target. His physical presence troubled the Pollok defence.
Player of the match: Conor Storey for the goal-denying intervention that preserved the clean sheet.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
Partick Thistle's five second-half corners to Pollok's one reflects their territorial dominance after the break. However, they registered zero goals from those set-piece situations, with three headers off target.
The shot count was low — typical of an early pre-season friendly where fitness took priority over finishing. Pollok's only clear-cut chance came from a defensive error rather than sustained build-up.
What It Means
This was the first pre-season friendly of summer 2026 for both clubs. Partick Thistle, of the Scottish Championship, will view it as a foundation-building exercise — minutes in legs without injury. Pollok, of the West of Scotland League, will take encouragement from keeping a clean sheet against a side three divisions above them.
Partick Thistle continue their pre-season schedule with further friendlies before the Scottish Championship season begins. Pollok prepare for the 2026-27 league campaign.
Verdict
A pre-season stalemate that told coaches more about fitness than form. Partick Thistle had the better of the second half but lacked a cutting edge; Pollok defended resolutely and nearly nicked it. The scoreline was the right reflection of a cautious, early-summer workout.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 27 Jun 2026