Tue 27 August, 2013
Scottish League Cup 
Firhill Stadium, Glasgow.Christie Elliott (91), Steven Lawless (103), Aaron Muirhead (114 pen)
Kane Hemmings (93)
Scottish League Cup
Tue 27 August, 2013. Kick Off: - 19:45
Firhill Stadium, Glasgow.
Tonight we embark on our quest to make it into round three of the League Cup when we entertain Cowdenbeath here at Firhill in a match that comes quickly in the wake of our first league defeat of the season.
The Jags held a firm grip over the Fifers in the league battles last season as well as a Ramsdens Cup semi-final triumph, but manager Alan Archibald knows that counts for nothing come kick off time tonight:
“It certainly doesn’t as these games are in the past and now and this game will be settled by the end of tonight. We certainly want to bounce back after the defeat on Saturday while at the same time we want to make progress in this cup competition. I watched over the past couple of years as St Mirren and Kilmarnock both won the Cup and saw what it meant to their respective towns and especially the players and supporters so that is why I am looking at this as a very important fixture for us, as making progress will keep our season lively.”
So on to the all-important question of team news, how are things shaping up ahead of the clash:
“To be honest there will be a bit of the last minute about our team tonight as we have a number of knocks and bruises from the game on Saturday. Our physio Kenny Crichton has been working overtime to ensure that the lads are available but it will be a bit of wait and see ahead of the game. There is no doubt that a few of the lads did themselves no harm when coming on during the game so we will see what is the best thing for this particular game.”
Thistle duly took up their expected place in the third round of the League Cup but they needed an extra 30 minutes to see off the challenge of Championship side Cowdenbeath who will rue a missed penalty in the second half with the game still tied at 0-0.
Manager Alan Archibald made five changes to side that lost narrowly at Motherwell at the weekend with Mark Kerr, who skippered the side, Gabriel Piccolo, Ross Forbes, Kallum Higginbotham and John Baird all coming into the starting eleven.
Thistle made a sluggish start to the game with the visitors having the game’s first half chance inside the opening minute of the game although Scott Fox wasn’t unduly tested by Jamie Stevenson’s effort.
It took Thistle the best part of 20 minutes to really start to exert a grip on the game and start to create chances. A John Baird effort from a Taylor-Sinclair cross went over the bar with the Thistle striker appealing in vain for a corner kick. Baird was close again with a shot from an O’Donnell cross after Muirhead’s pass sent O’Donnell clear down the right hand side in the 20th minute but Adam in the Cowdenbeath goal was well placed to save.
A minute later O’Donnell again crossed from the right and this time Baird’s effort went wide of Adam’s goal.
As Thistle continued to enjoy long spells of possession Higginbotham sent a shot over the bar and Ross Forbes twice saw shots comfortably saved by Grant Adam as a fairly low key first half ended goalless.
Thistle were a little unlucky not to score early in the second half with Adam making a fine save to deny John Baird and James Craigen, after good play down the left by Taylor-Sinclair, was unfortunate to see a well struck shot blocked by a Cowdenbeath defender.
It was the visitors, however, that missed a gilt edged chance to take the lead in the 53rd minute. Kenny Adamson was fouled by Aaron Muirhead as he wriggled his way into the Thistle box and there could be no complaints over the decision to award Cowdenbeath a penalty. There was a reprieve, however, for Thistle as Scott Fox made an excellent save low to his right to keep out Jamie Stevenson’s penalty.
In truth that was by far the best chance either side had of a goal during the second half. Thistle sub Steven Lawless did send a shot over the bar but the closest Thistle came to a goal came with the game deep into injury time; Adam making an excellent save with his feet to prevent Kris Doolan from finding the net.
After a fairly uneventful first 90 minutes the 30 minutes of extra-time was an altogether more lively affair.
Just two minutes into extra-time and the deadlock was broken. Two of Thistle substitutes combined; Stevie Lawless setting up Christie Elliott and his low angled drive found the back of the net.
It took Cowdenbeath just 67 seconds to find an equaliser; Kane Hemming’s low drive skidding past Scott Fox and into the net.
Now with their tails up Cowdenbeath could even have snatched the lead in the 95th minute and would have done so had Fox not produced a superb save to keep out a Hemmings’ effort at his left hand post.
With Thistle living a little dangerously a John Armstrong header flashed wide of the Thistle goal as a little anxiety spread around Firhill.
There were just three minutes of the first period of extra-time remaining, however, when Thistle found themselves back in front. After providing the assist for the first goal this time Steven Lawless found the net himself with a low drive.
Thistle finally made sure of their passage into the next round with 6 minutes of extra-time remaining. Steven Lawless had his feet taken from under him by Morton for an obvious penalty that Aaron Muirhead calmly tucked into the back of the net.
Unlike a number of other Premiership sides it was a case of objective achieved last night for Thistle as an extra-time win over Cowdenbeath took us through to round three of this season’s League Cup competition.
[link:HOME] spoke with manager Alan Archibald after the match and he was naturally pleased to have seen his side progress to the next round.
“I said before the last round against Ayr United that our objective was to simply to get into the next round and that was again the case tonight. For some reason the press and some fans think that you can go out and run over teams but it’s not like that in football anymore; I think you can see that from the other results tonight. We’re just delighted to have got through to the next round.”
Alan continued;
“I said the players before the start of the game that we would have loads of possession but Cowdenbeath would always get that one chance in the game. That always happens; it’s very rare for a team not to get one chance during a match. They got their chance but thankfully Scott Fox made a fantastic save from the penalty low down to his right hand side.”
Scott Fox too had another excellent save with the score at 1-1. Said the Thistle manager;
“To be fair to Cowdenbeath that was probably during their best spell in the game. They had a wee five minute spell when it went to 1-1 and they had their tails up and they were very good. They bossed us a wee bit in that spell but the boys showed a bit of character to hold them off and get the victory.”
The manager was again disappointed to see his team concede an equaliser so soon after having taken the lead.
“That was something that we spoke about after the Hearts game and how important it is after you score to regroup and be tight. That 4 or 5 minute spell after you score is vitally important and we’ve not learned the lesson from the Hearts game because we again lost a goal soon after scoring. I was delighted though with their character to go on and get the two goals after that.”
The failure to convert chances into goals was another factor that caused the manager a little concern last night.
“I said to the boys that we need to start taking our chances. We can’t keep on creating the chances but not taking them.”
Christie Elliott though was on target with his first goal of the season having come off the bench in the 83rd minute again demonstrating the impact he can make in a game.
“It’s been frustrating for Christie. I don’t think he would want to be labelled a super sub but he always seems to make an impact when he comes on and again I thought he was very good when he came on.”
John Baird meantime continues to wait for his first Partick Thistle goal but his manager was pleased with his contribution last night commenting;
“I thought that their goalkeeper had a couple of great saves from John. John’s movement was good, he got into the box and he got into great areas. It’s not just falling for John at the moment, or for anyone else as it’s not just down to the strikers; it’s down to everyone else on the pitch as well.”
The manager was pleased too that Gabriel Piccolo got some extended time on the pitch though as the manager reveals that with the game into extra-time that presented its’ own problem for the Mexican defender.
“I’m in two minds about Gabby and the game time that he got. He’s not had a lot of game time so it was good to give him some of that but because he hasn’t had much game time he was actually struggling with a bit of cramp at the start of extra-time. He looked really comfortable throughout the game though. The only problem was their goal. I’ve not had the opportunity yet to have another look at it but our two centre halves got into a bit of a fankle to let their boy in to score.”
Finally with the transfer window due to close soon we wondered if there was any likliehood of transfer activity either in or out of the Club in the next few days.
“Not out I think, I hope not anyway, but hopefully we might get one more in. We’re still trying and we’ll keep trying up to the window closing.”
