27th Jan 2001 Kilmarnock 1 Partick Thistle 0 (Scottish Cup 3rd Round)

matches:2000-01: ← 29game 3031 →

	Bobby Williamson	John Lambie	59y, 10m, 25d

		Stephen Docherty
		Jamie Smith

Ally Mitchell (0-1, 28 mins)
Chris Innes; Alan Mahood; Ally Mitchell		Stephen Craigan; Alan Archibald; Scott McLean

Christophe Cocard (Jerome Vareille, 59 mins); Craig Dargo (Paul Wright, 82 mins); Andy McLaren (Garry Hay, 85 mins)		Stephen Docherty (Sandy Stewart, 48 mins); Scott McLean (Paul McGrillen, 75 mins); Danny Lennon (Peter Lindau, 82 mins)

	Gordon Marshall	Kenny Arthur	22y, 1m, 20d
	Chris Innes	Brian Hamilton	33y, 5m, 22d
	Alan Mahood	Alan Archibald	23y, 1m, 14d
	Martin Baker	Stephen Craigan	24y, 2m, 29d
	Peter Canero	Stephen Docherty	24y, 11m, 9d
	Frédéric Dindeleux	Mark McNally	29y, 10m, 17d
	Gary Holt	Derek Collins	31y, 6m, 17d
	Ally Mitchell	Danny Lennon	31y, 9m, 21d
	future Jag Craig Dargo	Scott McLean	24y, 7m, 10d
	Christophe Cocard	George Shaw	31y, 11m, 17d
	future Jag Andy McLaren	Martin Hardie	24y, 9m, 5d

			27y, 6m, 2d

	future Jag Colin Stewart	Michael Brown	21y, 2m, 20d
	Garry Hay	Sandy Stewart	35y, 3m, 13d
	Mark Reilly	Paul McGrillen	29y, 5m, 8d
	Jerome Vareille	Peter Lindau	28y, 1m, 18d
	Paul Wright	David McCallum	23y, 4m, 20d

TTA report

3,150 Thistle fans in a crowd of 8,836 saw their team gave a good account of themselves against the team 4th top in the Prem Div. In a feisty first half with 6 yellow cards, a misplaced clearance led to the only goal (a volley, 28). Thistle lacked spark and penetration and badly needed a killer pass, but not disgraced.

Media report

28-Jan-2001, Scotland on Sunday

PARTICK RECEIVE ROUSING SUPPORT BUT LITTLE FORTUNE AS MITCHELL SECURES WIN. PARTICK Thistle's cup dream was shattered by a single goal at Rugby Park, although to hear the rapturous applause of their travelling support at full-time anyone might have thought John Lambie's men had just lifted the silverware. Ally Mitchell secured Kilmarnock's fourth-round place, but there were many other scoring opportunities squandered by the home side, who looked jaded at the end of 90 minutes.

Thistle didn't actually create many chances, but their guts and determination always kept them in with a chance, right up to the final whistle. Indeed, it was the Second Division side who had the best of the first 15 minutes, opening briskly and showing they were not going to be overawed. But Kilmarnock endured the challenge, and, in 16 minutes, after a cross from the Craig Dargo on the right, Christophe Cocard headed the ball wide. In 21 minutes, Thistle's Scott McLean was booked after nudging Gary Holt on his way into the Thistle box. But, just before the half- hour, Thistle slipped up. A long ball through their defence found Mitchell on the edge of the box - and his left-foot shot found the net. The goal may have eased the pressure on Kilmarnock, but it did nothing to lessen the pace of the game. As Kilmarnock went in earnest search of a second goal, it was abundantly clear that Thistle were on the back foot. Helping to keep their spirits up was their legion of supporters, who turned up the volume even as the Firhill men began to lose some of their conviction. Nevertheless, they managed to keep their spirits up in what proved a tricky final 15 minutes to the half, Kilmarnock wasting a couple of chances to go further ahead. Cocard first found himself in front of the goal with only the Thistle goalkeeper Kenny Arthur to beat, but prodded a weak shot straight into Arthur's grasp. Then, following Mitchell's booking for his intimate interest in a free-kick, Cocard again dodged his way through the Thistle defence but was hampered by Danny Lennon's close attendance and his shot was scooped up by Arthur. As the first-half whistle blew, Thistle's chances of pulling off a cup shock looked pretty remote. Still, Lambie's men were not about to give up the dream without a fight.

After the break, they began by creating a few half-chances, before settling into a solid routine of thwarting Kilmarnock's vain endeavours to add to the scoresheet. Mind you, Thistle's battling qualities aside, Kilmarnock managed to squander a few opportunities all on their own. In 57 minutes, Dargo hooked the ball over the crossbar to the groans of the home support. Two minutes later, Alan Mahood's stray shot ended a good move on the right of Thistle's goal. In 60 minutes, Jerome Vareille replaced Cocard, but the substitute wasted a chance towards the end. In the last 10 minutes, one could be forgiven for thinking that it was Thistle, not Kilmarnock, who held the slender lead, as the home crowd bellowed their frustration at the Rugby Park men's apparent carelessness.

Afterwards, Kilmarnock manager Bobby Williamson praised Thistle and their fans, describing the game as a “typical cup-tie”. “We missed some chances, but we're delighted to be through.” For Lambie, there was disappointment, but he added: “It's easy to get humiliated against Premier sides. The fans will be happy that we didn't get thrashed.”

match hubs

match

The Thistle Archive

Partick Thistle stats and stories 1876 to date