Thursday 7th November, 2024 at 7:00pm
Seven days on from a valiant but testing effort against the title contenders, Partick Thistle returned home to Petershill Park to face Hibernian in the quarter final of the SkySports Cup.
294 days ago, saw this exact tie in which Partick Thistle women cemented one of their most prominent pieces of history as a 2-0 victory saw them enter the final of a national competition for the first time, a sentiment Brian Graham’s side were looking to repeat as they welcomed the visitors from the capital.
Hibernian entered the afternoons match in great form having only built momentum following their victory over the Jags on the opening game of the domestic season, most recently picking up a 7-1 victory over Aberdeen before their trip to Glasgow.
It was a spritely start from Thistle, who had worked well at the back to clear an early free kick from the visitors, the ball eventually bouncing towards the direction of Currie to slow the bustling tempo from the Hibees from kick off.
Despite their best defensive efforts, in a similar fashion to the week prior, it was the visitors who claimed the opening goal of the match as the ball was worked from one side of the pitch to the other across the box. The initial cross was neat to the goal line, allowing for it to be forced away from the net by the Thistle number one before it was picked up by Hibs’ Lawson whose bounding effort from range fired into goal from the first-time volley to put them ahead in the 10 th minute.
Despite going a goal behind, Thistle didn’t look overly dejected as they turned a portion of attacking play into their own favour, winning the corner on the far side. Sent high and looping into the box, it landed perfectly for the inbounding McCulloch who had broken away from her marker and made no mistake in placing her header from short range into the back of the net, clipping the inside of the post on its way in for her first goal in over two years and most importantly, to get Thistle back onto a level playing field in the 14 th minute.
The equaliser had reinstated Thistles position in the tie, creating an entertaining watch for both sets of fans that had made the trip to Petershill, with the thought that the next goal could prove pivotal for whoever claimed it. Partick Thistle had proven their worth across the pitch, as a cohesively defended Hibs attack was immediately countered, pushing them up the entirety of the pitch before the shot went wide of the post to deny them the lead for the first time in the game.
A strong performance of equal opportunities for both sides saw the first half end in deadlock. The early dominance from the visitors gave them the deserved lead in the opening minutes but the quick response from Thistle echoed their determination throughout the rest of the opening 45. In what had developed to become an enticing cup quarter final watch, a big second half would be required from Brain Grahams side in the search to get one step closer to repeating the heroics of last season.
A half time substitution saw Robinson replace McAllister, as the visitors started on the dominating foot, getting into dangerous areas that posed questions of the Thistle defence, but as seen in the first half, had all been handled by the red and yellow. It wasn’t just all defence for them though, as the Henderson effort from range was well saved by the Hibs keeper before Bulloch’s effort from a similar distance landed high of the crossbar.
Despite their strong efforts and a push onto the attacking front, it was Hibernian who broke into the lead as the play from the back saw the cross into the box, McGovern spun into space from her marker before firing low into the bottom corner just beyond the hour mark for her first of the afternoon.
In a rather chaotic ten minutes, Thistle’s fortunes continued to falter as the lead for the hibees grew minutes later from McGovern, as the through ball got her through on goal to slide the pass under the keeper for her second, her third coming from a strike on the edge of the box into bottom corner to put the tie out of sight in the 74 th minute.
The sounding of the full-time whistle confirmed Partick Thistles exit from the Sky Sports Cup at the quarter-final stage from a match that despite potentially swaying in wither favour at half time, quickly unravelled from Thistles grasp as it was drawing to a close. Focus now returns to league action as Motherwell make the trip to Petershill Park on the 17 th , kick off 1pm.
