Friday 26th October, 2018 at 10:44am
Scottish Cup 3rd round
24th November 2007
Partick Thistle 2 Ayr United 1
It’s always nice to achieve a cup run, and Thistle got off to a very good start here, despite falling behind as early as the 19th minute. We then went on to eliminate Dunfermline Athletic, Livingston(after a replay) before falling to Rangers in a Firhill replay after we had done all the hard work in a 1-1 draw at Ibrox. Well, there was always next year, we told ourselves.
It’s interesting to have a look at the Thistle team in the featured match. You can see how well you remember the following players from the chosen game, played merely eleven years ago:- Craig Hinchcliffe, John Robertson, Marc Twaddle, Kevin McKinlay, Gary Harkins, Alan Archibald, Scott Chaplain, David Rowson, Liam Buchanan, Mark Roberts, Ryan McStay, and also can you identify the two who featured in the cover of the programme, celebrating a goal?(not too difficult I would say).
In the match Thistle came storming back and the ever-dangerous Mark Roberts equalised a few minutes from half-time. Liam Buchanan was nearly always good for a goal and he duly obliged after 56 minutes. We had a few rocky moments but were fairly comfortable towards the end.
Ryan Stevenson featured for the Honest Men. He later became an important part of the Thistle set up, and notched a few goals.
Role reversal: The Thistle manager in 2007 was none other than Ian McCall, who now occupies the hot seat at Somerset Park. When I say he occupies it, that isn’t strictly true. During our visit to Ayr in August he was in and out of his seat like a jack in the box, berating the referee and linesman and anyone else
Of course he had the last laugh that afternoon, here’s hoping we can do something to change all that tomorrow.
The weather conditions were an advert for summer football:- driving rain, very cold and a heavy pitch. Having won the toss, Thistle chose to attack the Maryhill end which was a wise decision, because we then had wind advantage in the second-half. Ayr were pressed further and further back and found it increasingly difficult to threaten the home goal.
The football scene is awash nowadays with foreign players, and Ayr had one on the bench by the name of Vareille. Quelle est la nationalite? I keep telling you – you should have stuck in better at school!
Robert R
