Premier Sports Cup
Sun 25 July, 2021. Kick Off: - 15:00
The SMiSA Stadium
Ticket information
There are no tickets for Partick Thistle supporters for this fixture.
Live Video Coverage
This match has been selected for television coverage by Premier Sports.
Click here to find out how to watch through Premier Sports.
Audio Commentary
Our JagZoneLIVE show will also be available to listen to with the build-up getting started at 2:30pm. The commentary team will bring you audio coverage of the full 90 minutes.
JagZone subscribers can listen in by clicking HERE ahead of kick-off.
In-Game Updates
Live updates will be available on our Twitter page throughout the game.
50/50 Draw
You can enter our digital 50/50 draw by purchasing tickets online.
Tickets cost £1 each to enter.
Entries will close at 3:30pm on Sunday 25th July 2021
Post-Match
Following the game, we’ll have reaction from the Thistle camp available to watch on JagZone.
There will also be match highlights and a full game replay on JagZone later.
Partick Thistle went to the SMiSA Stadium this afternoon searching for an unlikely three-goal win which would take them into the Premier Sports Cup last 16 at the expense of opponents St. Mirren. The hosting Buddies knew any points at all would see them top the group, leapfrogging Dunfermline.
Three changes were made to the team which started the win over Dumbarton in midweek with the first of those being Harry Stone replacing Jamie Sneddon in goal. Steven Bell and Ross Docherty returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Mouhamed Niang who dropped to the bench and Scott Tiffoney who wasn’t in the squad whatsoever due to a knock.
Thistle started the game in positive fashion with a low Kyle Turner cross bringing a fantastic sliding clearance out from Joe Shaughnessy to deny Brian Graham a tap-in before the number nine turned provider, setting up Richard Foster who could only head wide as he made a late run at the back post.
The game then settled into a steady pace with neither team creating very much until the hosts produced the breakthrough in the form of a penalty. Jay Henderson was the man who won it, hitting the deck sharply as he tried to get away from Richard Foster and referee Alan Muir thought there was enough contact to warrant a spot kick.
Jamie McGrath stepped up and the much sought-after midfielder rolled the ball home coolly, sending the ball down the middle as Harry Stone dived to his left.
There was almost a very quick response from the away side as Jak Alnwick was called into action for the first time of the game, on the half-hour mark. Stuart Bannigan fed the ball into Brian Graham’s path as the striker burst towards the St. Mirren box and after shaking off two defenders, it looked as if he was going to restore parity. However, Jak Alnwick produced a terrific save to turn the ball away at the near post and refuse Graham his fifth goal of the season.
Thistle manufactured one more opportunity before the interval and it was Stuart Bannigan who forced Alnwick into another stop. Kyle Turner played the ball to Bannigan 20 yards from goal and with plenty of goal to aim at, Bannigan tried a left-footed effort. It was headed for the left corner of Alnwick’s goal but the former Rangers ‘stopper got a cross quickly to parry before Charles Dunne cleared it for a corner.
There was another sight of goal for the travelling Jags just after the second half restart. Kyle Turner carried the ball towards the Buddies’ box and then slotted a terrific ball into Brian Graham who had found half a yard of space ten yards from goal. He tried to fire a shot on target from a tight angle but Marcus Fraser was across well to deflect it behind.
Again, the game calmed down as it did in the first half and goalmouth action was scarce. Eventually, a chance did come and it came for the home side with 15 minutes left to play. A deep ball into the box found the head of Curtis Main who climbed above Mouhamed Niang to aim a header back across goal. It looked for all the world that the net would bulge but his attempt skipped just wide of target.
St. Mirren had a couple more half-chances before they finally got their second in injury time. Cameron MacPherson played the ball into Main who then knocked it round the corner to Lee Erwin who was on the left-hand side of the box. The ex-Leeds man then simply passed the ball across the six-yard box to the onrushing Joe Shaughnessy who tapped home from close range to seal the win.
The defeat sees Thistle knocked out of the Premier Sports Cup at the group stage for the second year in a row with St. Mirren advancing as group winners. Now, all focus for the Jags is on their cinch Championship opener against Queen of the South. That one is a 3pm kick-off next Saturday, 31st July.
It was the end of the road in the Premier Sports Cup for Partick Thistle this afternoon as they fell to a 2-0 defeat by St. Mirren in Paisley. The Jags came into the game knowing they needed a three-goal win to progress to the last 16 but fell well short with the home side claiming the win to top the group and head through to the next round. Jamie McGrath opened the scoring with a penalty in the first half and Buddies captain Joe Shaughnessy sealed the win with an injury time goal at the end of the second sending the Jags out. Thistle manager Ian McCall spoke to ptfc.co.uk following the conclusion of the match:
“I thought it was really tight in the first half. We had a couple of good opportunities and who knows what happens if we score one of them but, to be fair to them, they had good chances of their own in the second half before they eventually got their second.
“In the end, it was immaterial whether we lost by one or two goals so we tried to go for it. We put bodies forward and made a couple of forward thinking subs but that left us a bit more open at the back and they capitalised on it for the second goal right at the end.”
Despite the end result, McCall still came away from the game with feeling encouraged by the team’s prospects for the season.
“Look, we’ve got some quality players here at the moment. The squad will be a bit fuller over the next couple of weeks with Scott Tiffoney and Cammy Smith coming into contention and then we’re still looking to add more new players soon so we’re looking forward to a big game next Saturday against Queen of the South.
“I felt we did miss Tiff’s pace today, that bit of something different that really can unsettle a defence and likewise with Cammy, he’s the sort of player that maybe could have found that killer pass we were missing today so we’ll look forward to having them available soon.”
The Jags now turn their attentions to the aforementioned league opener against Queen of the South at Firhill and Ian says the team know the importance of that game in the context of the season.
“Of course it’s always helpful to get a winning start to your season. The positions aren’t decided after one game but you want to get into that winning habit that we got into at the end of last season as early as possible so hopefully we can get off on the right foot for the league. We didn’t start well with the first group stage game but we feel the minutes we’ve got over these four matches should have us in a much better position going into that game next weekend.”
Further reaction with Thistle manager Ian McCall is available for JagZone subscribers to watch – log in to view.
We’ll also have extended highlights and a full game replay of today’s match on JagZone tonight.
Article Copyright © 2021. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Sun 25 July, 2021
Premier Sports Cup 
The SMiSA Stadium
Joe Shaughnessy taps home from close range in the 94th minute as Thistle pushed forward for the equaliser.
Tanser's cross is met by a St. Mirren head but he sends it wide of target. Harry Stone rushes to get play restarted.
Stone makes a save low to his left to deny Henderson.
Erwin puts the ball into the Thistle side netting from an angle.
MacIver clears a cross from the right at the back post at the expense of a corner kick.
Henderson smashes a shot into the side netting.
That probably have been a second goal for St Mirren. Tanser's cross to the back post finds the head of Main but he is unable to hit target.
There's a rare chance in a very uneventful second half as Bannigan gets caught in possession giving a Main a chance but he shoots wide.
St Mirren are close to a second goal. It opens up for McGrath who is initially denied by a fine block. the ball falls back to him and this time his shot is inches too high.
Rudden nearly manages to get in behind the St Mirren defence but a home defender just manages to get the ball clear.
A Graham shot from a MacIver pass is deflected wide of goal.
There are an additional five minutes to play at the end of the 90.
St Mirren hold a narrow advantage, courtesy of a Jamie McGrath penalty, at the end of a largely uneventful first half.
Brian Graham and Stuart Bannigan both forced saves from the home keeper while in search of an equaliser but it is a deserved half-time lead for St Mirren.
One minute additional time to be played.
Bannigan tests Alnwick from distance with the home keeper pushing the ball away from goal with the loose ball knocked behind for a corner.
Tanser swings a free kick deep into the Thistle box that Graham back defending heads clear.
St Mirren are starting to turn the screw and the ball is worked to Henderson in a promising position wide on the right but on this occasion his delivery is poor.
Thistle are nearly back on level terms. Graham creates an opening for himself and looks set to score for the 4th successive game but Alnwick denies him with a good save with Thistle unable to make anything from Turner's corner that follows.
Quick water break before the game restarts.
McGrath makes an efficient job of tucking the penalty away. Foster can have no complaints over the award.
Foster takes the feet away from Henderson and St Mirren have a penalty.
Henderson whips over a cross with pace from the right but Stone is again on hand to collect the ball.
There isn't a great deal happening but Stone is sharp off his line to claim a Main header.
Stone has to be sharp to gather a Henderson cross at his near post.
MacIver slips through a clever pass looking for Rudden but the flag goes up for offside against the Thistle striker.
Docherty glances a header from Turner's corner towards goal but it drifts wide of the far post.
It's been an uneventful first few minutes. Brophy does manage a shot at goal for the home side but it is a long way off target.
St Mirren get the game underway.
Thistle go into this afternoon's match with St Mirren still with a chance, albeit a long shot, of reaching the knock out stages. A three goal Thistle win would see Thistle advance as one of the best placed runners-up.
Ian McCall has made three changes to his starting eleven this afternoon.
As promised he has given equal opportunity to each goalkeeper to impress ahead of the start of the league action and it is Harry Stone's turn to start today.
The other changes see Steven Bell and Ross Docherty, both half-time subs against Dumbarton in midweek, start.
On the bench there is a welcome return for Shea Gordon.