After coming off the bench and opening the scoring at Gayfield, Anton Dowds didn’t make a big deal of it.
There was no trademark Alan Shearer-esque celebration, despite his Partick Thistle teammates mobbing him.
It was a bittersweet moment for the 25-year-old.
He was delighted to bag his third goal in five league appearances for the Jags, since joining in the summer.
But there was also a tinge of sadness that it came against a side where he spent an enjoyable part of last season.
The Lichties built up Dowds’ confidence after a torrid start to the 20/21 campaign at Falkirk.
He repaid them with some crucial goals which helped the club reach the heights it did.
Respect for Arbroath
The former loanee explained why he muted his celebrations after netting his side’s late opener – even if he was in the receiving end of some ‘banter’ from some home fans.
“It was a bit of respect, I guess,” Dowds said.
“I know Arbroath have had a tough start to the season.
“I’m here to do my job for Thistle, but I still wanted to be respectful as well.
“I’ve got outstanding memories of Arbroath.
“The six months I had last year were probably the most enjoyable six months I’ve had in my career to date.
“I’ve still got a great affiliation with the club, the management team and the players here. It was a great time for me.”
The forward, perhaps unexpectedly, played his part in a team competing at the top end of the table last season.
He looks like he will be in a similar position this season with Thistle among the favourites to claim the league title.
⚽️ https://t.co/4W9MsB26hA
— AntonDowds10 (@Antondowds) September 3, 2022
For now, Dowds is not thinking about any silverware.
“Any time you come to Gayfield and come away with a win is a fantastic achievement,” he said.
“We know how hard it is.
“When I came in, the manager always said to me they just want to improve on what the club achieved last year.
“That is still our goal. They finished fourth last year – it’s just trying to better that.”
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