PARTICK Thistle are set to cap off a productive weekend by completing the signing of Bournemouth defender Baily Cargill today on a loan deal until the end of the season.
Thistle boss Alan Archibald has been searching for a left-sided centre-back since the unexpected departure of Jordan Turnbull last week, and the former England under-20 internationalist fits the bill.
Cargill has spent the first half of the season on loan at Fleetwood Town, but after a fall-out with manager Uwe Rosler, the 22-year-old is keen to pursue first-team experience elsewhere.
The return of Callum Booth at left-back and captain Abdul Osman helped Thistle through their first match since the winter break, booking a place in the Scottish Cup fifth round courtesy of a Conor Sammon double in a hard-fought win at Queen of the South.
Sammon got the opener just before the break after a fine Thistle break from a Queens corner, Chris Erskine and Stevie Lawless combining to feed Sammon in the area, where the striker produced a cool finish past home keeper Alan Martin.
Ross Fergusson hit a fortuitous equaliser for the Palmerston side, Niall Keown’s tackle on the forward ricocheting into the top corner via his shins, before Sammon’s late deflected effort saw the Premiership side through.
Over a thousand Thistle fans made the journey to Dumfries, and they sang Sammon’s praises long and loud after scoring three goals in his last two appearances.
Sammon says that he always had faith that he would come good at Firhill, despite a slow start to his career with the Jags.
“It’s great to hear the fans singing my name, and it’s been a long time coming for me, Sammon said. “Since I moved to Thistle it’s been sort of stop-start, but I’m looking really good at the moment and I’m trying to take that into every game.
“I’m a real optimist, and if something isn’t going your way, I believe you have to keep the head down, keep working hard and you know that you will turn the corner.
“I’m delighted that it has been the case.”
Sammon is now looking forward to testing himself against Celtic tomorrow night at Firhill as Thistle return to league action with a tough assignment against the champions.
“It’s a game we look forward to when you have the opportunity to pit yourselves up against the best team in the league and some really good players,” he said.
“There’s no reason why we can’t give them a good test, as we have done previously, and there’s no reason we can’t spring an upset.”
For Queen of the South, and for debutant striker Fergusson in particular, their performance hinted at brighter days to follow..
“It’s great to play for your local club,” said Fergusson.
“There are players in the team now who I watched when I was young – like Stephen Dobbie. It’s good experience to play with guys like him.
“We’ll try and perform like we did today in our remaining league games and push on for the play-offs.”
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