KDM Evolution Trophy
Tue 16 December, 2025. Kick Off: - 19:45
Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen
Team News
To follow.
Ticket Information
Partick Thistle supporters can purchase tickets for the Ground sections of the Balmoral Stadium designated for away supporters.
Prices are as follows:
Adult – £10
Concession (Over 65s Students) – £5
Juvenile (12 -17-years-old) – £5
Juvenile when purchased with an Adult or Concession (same transaction) FREE
Tickets are available HERE
Cove Rangers have advised that they will not be offering a live stream of the game.
Supporter Buses Information
As a small gesture to supporters, we are subsidising travel on supporter bus travel for our rearranged KDM Evolution Trophy match against Cove Rangers.
The Jordanhill/John Lambie and North-West Branch are again sharing a coach north, and the club have worked with both to ensure the maximum fare being charged next Tuesday will be £8 full fare and £5 for concessions.
For those who made the original trip on the bus last week, this will be reduced to £5 and £4. The fare is a reduction on the original £28/£19.
Spaces are extremely limited, and we encourage all fans who made the original postponed trip, by whatever means, to take advantage of the offer.
To book, please email
We would also like to thank Allander Coaches for reducing the price of the bus to further help with costs.
Pick-up times are:
Milngavie Station: 3.15pm
Esquire House: 3.35pm
Jordanhill Station: 3.45pm
Maryhill CCH: 4pm
Eligibility for concession fares:
One primary school-age child may travel free of charge when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.
Weather – HERE
Partick Thistle came from behind to see off Cove Rangers 2-1 at the Balmoral Stadium to book their place in the Round of 16 in the KDM Evolution Trophy on January 6 against an Inverness Caledonian Thistle side who knocked nine past Dumbarton.
The Jags had a refreshed look about them with Lewis Budinauckas, Cammy Logan, Scott Martin, Kyle Turner, Steven Lawless and Logan Chalmers all in from the start with youngsters Matthew Falconer and Liam Dolan on the bench.
Cove wearing a red strip more associated with their city neighbours kicked the game off in tranquil, albeit cold conditions, with the hosts winning an early free kick when David Equaibor was held.
There was no home joy from the set-piece however with three minutes played Cove took the lead when Adam Emslie was released on the right by a forty yard pass from Blair Yule and he took the ball to the edge of the Thistle box before sending a low shot into the corner of the net with the aid of a deflection.
The hosts had their tails up and they could have grabbed a second five minutes later when Emslie wriggled clear again however his low cross fizzed across the face of Budinauckas’ goal without a decisive touch being applied.
Thistle looked to assert themselves in the game and Alex Samuel worked himself clear on the right flank and his ball looked to be finding Lawless, who was playing on the left, only for a defensive foot to get in the way.
Thistle created another chance on 12 minutes when a delicate passing move picked out Chalmers who turned and fired for goal only to see his effort blocked.
A minute later Chalmers created danger with a run to the goal kick line and then sending over cross that found Ben Stanway with Balint Demus just scrambling the ball off the midfielder’s toes.
Another opening came for the visitors on 17 minutes when Chalmers fed Samuel who skipped to his left and tried to find the net with a low effort that Demus dived to smother.
The equaliser that had been threatened came on 24 minutes with another bout of possession allowed TURNER to be teed up on the left-hand side of the 18-yard line by Lawless and the number six took a touch to the left before curling a shot high past Demus.
Three minutes later it was 2-1 to Mark Wilson’s side as The Wyre Stadium at Firhill’s favourite Welshman SAMUEL spun away from his marker and shot low into the corner of the net for his third goal in four appearances.
The pace from the visitors dropped slightly for a period however eight minutes from the break Chalmers cut in from the right wing in trademark fashion and let fly with a left footed shot however Demus dropped down to save.
Shortly afterwards Paddy Reading carved out a chance with a right footed cross that found the head of Samuel, but his flicked effort flashed over.
Budinauckas showed he was still alert after a period of inactivity on 43 minutes when he saved from David Equaibor before play switched rapidly to the other end with Reading sending a shot high over.
Half-Time – Cove Rangers 1 Partick Thistle 2
Turner restarted the game with Thistle attacking the goal that goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon scored in three years ago.
Emslie, like he had done in the first half, threatened early as he danced past a couple of players before hitting in a drive from right to left again however this time there was no deflection and the ball travelled wide.
Chalmers had Thistle’s first attempt of the second half with a low left footed effort after build up play from Lawless and Stanway with Demus equal to it.
Just after the hour mark, and after a flurry of substitutions, Turner whipped in a free-kick from wide on the left that was met by Luke McBeth however the defender’s header clipped off a Cove man and went past for a corner.
Martin and home substitute Chris Maguire after a spat in midfield with the game restarting with a free kick to the hosts.
Falconer, who was due to start last Tuesday before the tie was called off late on, was brought on with 20 minutes to go for Reading, with his introduction prompting a switch around with Logan going to left back and Turner right.
Thistle were given a reminder that there was still life in Cove when Liam Parker met a free-kick at the back post with his knee with Budinauckas forced into a high save after the ball bounced into the turf and rose up.
Substitutes Tony Watt and Oisin Smyth combined on 77 minutes to create a shooting chance for the Northern Irishman from 20 yards and his shot was powerful for Demus however no-one was following in to net the ball after it was pushed back out.
Four minutes later Budinauckas showed safe hands again as he rose to clutch a stinging 20 yarder from Mackenzie Strachan who had accepted a rolled pass back the way from Maguire.
Ts’oanelo Lets’osa exchanged passes with Lawless as Thistle searched for a clincher however the replacement’s cross that was aiming for Watt was cut out by Demus.
A darting move involving Lets’osa, Falconer and Lawless released Watt on the left however a corner was the only reward with Lawless just off target from the dead ball with a header.
Full-Time – Cove Rangers 1 Partick Thistle 2
Teams
Partick Thistle – Lewis Budinauckas, Cammy Logan, Luke McBeth, Dan O’Reilly, Paddy Reading (Matthew Falconer 70), Scott Martin (Oisin Smyth 74), Kyle Turner, Steven Lawless, Ben Stanway (Ts’oanelo Lets’osa 74), Logan Chalmers (Aidan Fitzpatrick 60), Alex Samuel (Tony Watt 60).
Unused substitutes – Josh Clarke (G/k), Lee Ashcroft, Ben McPherson, Liam Dolan.
Cove Rangers – Balint Demus, Layton Bisland, Michael Doyle, Justin Eguaibor, Ryan Harrington, Blair Yule (Mitch Megginson 60), Rueben McAllister (Jackson Mylchreest 67), Adam Emslie, David Eguaibor (Chris Maguire 60), Lewis O’Donnell (Mackenzie Strachan 60), Liam Parker.
Unused substitutes – Robbie Mutch, Mickey Milnes.
Referee – Gavin Duncan
Tue 16 December, 2025
KDM Evolution Trophy 
Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen
Thistle make it through to the last 16 of the KDM Evolution Trophy where they will be at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Megginson shoots but there's no power in the shot and Budianuckas saves.
Into added time. Remember this would go straight to penalties if level.
Lawless flicks on Fitzpatrick's corner and the ball goes just wide of the far post.
Budinauckas makes a good catch inside his 6 yard box from a cross from the right.
Lawless finds Lets'osa down the right. His cross is poor though and Demus collects at his front post.
Into the final 5 minutes. It's Cove that are doing the bulk of the pressing.
McBeth and then Lawless get the corner clear.
Strachan has a hit from about 20 yards out. It's well struck but thankfully straight at Budinauckas.
Demus saves but can't hold a Smyth shot. He is able to recover though and gather the ball before any Thistle player can get to it.
Watt shoots from outside the box. It's far too straight to trouble Demus though.
Maguire sends a good free kick deep into the Thistle box. Parker gets a touch at the back post but isn't able to direct that touch on target.
McBeth's header from Turner's free kick takes touch off a Cove player.
Reading is fouled as he comes down the left and Thistle have a free kick in from the touchline.
Logan gets into a good position on the right but his cross is too high.
Harrington tries a low shot from distance but Budinauckas sees it coming and makes an easy save.
Demus does well to hold onto a low shot from Chalmers.
The ball is played into the feet of Samuel inside the box but he shoots wide.
The dangerous Emslie comes forward down the right. He drags his shot wide of goal though.
Back underway. No changes from Thistle at the break.
Thistle recover from the loss of an early goal to deservedly lead at the break.
Kyle Turner scores the equaliser and Alex Samuel makes it five for the season as he puts Thistle 2-1 up.
With Inverness Caledonian Thistle 7-0 ahead at the break in their tie with Dumbarton the winners of tonight's tie in the next round early in the New Year.
While that game is clearly done there is plenty of football to play in this one.
Cove make a mess of the corner and Thistle try and break through Chalmers. It's Cove though that launch a counter attack of their own and there is a chance for David Eguaibor but Budinauckas saves though he needs two attempts to hold the ball.
Reading crosses from the left and Samuel is able to flick the ball goalwards. His header though is just a little too high and wide.
Chalmers comes in from the right and tries a low shot from the corner of the box but Demus makes a comfortable save.
It's a decent free kick too but nobody is able to get a touch to it and the ball goes out for a Thistle goal kick.
McBeth holds David Eguaibar back and Cove have a free kick and a chance to load the Thistle box.
Emslie shoots high over the Thistle crossbar.
Thistle in front. Samuel collects the ball with his back to goal, turns and sends a low shot past Demus and into the bottom corner of the net.
Turner slides a great ball through to Chalmers but he goes a fraction too early and is caught offside.
Thistle deservedly back on level terms and is a cracker from Kyle Turner from just outside the Cove box that levels the scores.
Thistle elect not to go direct into the box with the free kick and are unable to make anything of the set piece as the move breaks down near the edge of the box.
Lawless in impeded by Bisland and Thistle have a free kick wide on the left.
Cove go short with the corner. It's worked to O'Donnell at the edge of the box and he sees his shot blocked.
It's all Thistle at the moment but a Chalmers effort from the right hand corner of the Cove box is too high.
Chalmers finds Samuel to his left. Samuel spins towards goal but can't get enough power in his shot and Demus saves.
Turner goes deep with the corner. O'Reilly is able to get his head to it but his header doesn't threaten the Cove goal or find a team mate.
A great piece off skill from Chalmers gets him into the Cove box. His cross looks set to be tucked home by Samuel but the keeper blocks with Samuel unable to force the loose ball home.
Thistle close to an equaliser but a shot from Chalmers is blocked by a defender.
First hint of a chance for Thistle. Chalmers lifts a pass to Samuel whose cross is deflected and then gathered by Demus.
Emslie fizzes over a cross from the right that goes right across the face of the Thistle goal. Any Cove touch and Thistle would have been two behind.
Emslie collects the ball on the right and his shot from outside takes a deflection and finds the bottom left hand corner of the Thistle net.
Emslie sends over a cross from the right but Budinauckas collects at his front post.
After a further delay for some reason this tie is finally underway.
Thistle defending the Jamie Sneddon End in the first half.
Short of an act of god in the next 15 minutes our KDM Evolution Trophy tie with Cove Rangers is due to go ahead at the second time of asking.
Head Coach Mark Wilson has made six changes for tonight's tie.
In come Lewis Budinauckas, Cammy Logan, Scott Martin, Kyle Turner, Logan Chalmers and Steven Lawless.
The winners of tonight's tie will play the winners of Dumbarton v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, also playing tonight, in the next round.