After last week's defeat at Cowdenbeath, Thistle manager Ian McCall had said that the responsibility of the performance lay at his door, a week later and a suited-up McCall saw his charges put in a much improved performance to see off Second Division Ayr United and seal a semi final berth in the Alba Challenge Cup.
Some changes were made to the starting eleven that lost at Central Park the previous week, Stuart Bannigan coming in for his first start ahead of Iain Flannigan and Paul Cairney made way for Bryan Hodge. John Robertson also started ahead of Willie Kinniburgh in defence and Jackie McNamara came in at the back for his first start of the season.
It was Thistle who started the stronger and made an immediate impact, good work down the right set up Paul Paton who crossed expertly an Kris Doolan rose highest for the opening goal, 2 goals in two weeks for the former Auchinleck Talbot man who was for the most part of last season frozen out at Firhill. The game then toed and froed as both sides came close to scoring at either end but nothing really threatening the opposition goalkeepers.
Half an hour had passed when Thistle doubled their advantage, Liam Buchanan this time turning the ball into the path of Doolan who snapped up his second goal of the match. Thistle's issues with keeping their defence tight after getting into a position of considerable control were exposed just three minutes later when Andy Rodgers looping header brought the Honest Men back into the tie.
As the first half petered out there was a flashpoint involving Thistle's Paul Paton but only yellow cards for both Paton and Willie Easton were shown.
Football is a funny old game, and the cliché of a "game of two halves" is one that is bandied about on a very regular basis but it was an appropriate analogy for this game as Brian Reid's side came out in the second half very determined to ruffle Thistle's feathers and grab the equaliser, but they would continue to be thwarted by a solid Bryn Halliwell and a capable Thistle defence spearheaded by the experience of Jackie McNamara.
As the game moved on, Thistle were denied a clear penalty when Liam Buchanan was manhandled in the box, but it would prove to be a case of The boy who cried wolf for Stevie O'Reilly and for Buchanan who, having gone down contentiously 5 minutes previously felt aggrieved he didn't get the decision when he really was fouled.
The visitors upped the ante again in the last ten minutes with Mark Roberts causing his old side a multitude of problems, the biggest of which came when hes low shot looked to be heading for the back of the Thistle net - until Bryn Halliwell somehow got a hand to it and tipped it round for a corner, the Ayr fans were celebrating thinking it was in but this was perhaps the defining moment for the visitors, as they realised that after that, it just wasn't going to be their day.
The final whistle blew and Thistle clinched only their 2nd Alba Challenge Cup semi final place, and with two other previous winners in Ross County and Queen of the South the onus will be on Thistle to join that group of teams who have won the trophy and certainly with the 40th anniversary of their last major trophy win looming it would certainly be a most welcome distraction for McCall and his players as they struggle in the First Division.
In my personal opinion, it was a game that answered some of the questions from last week but also posed some new ones. What do we do about leaving the gaps at the back when we seem to get comfortable, a better team than Ayr would have punished us for this today.
It's also good to see Liam Buchanan having the 'burden' if you will of goalscoring lifted from his shoulders. Doolan is a player capable of stepping in and grabbing a few goals as his first season return of 5 goals in his first 10 senior games show and one that cettainly should have been looked too last season when McCall was bringing in the [on paper and at the time] more established and 'better' option of Steve Lovell.
Maybe we'll turn the corner next week against Stirling, maybe. I'm not going to get myself all hopeful for it to come crashing down yet again. Certainly all we can do is hope so.
Until then,
Marc =]
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