23rd Jul 2011 Partick Thistle 2 Stenhousemuir 1 (Challenge Cup 1st Round)

matches:2011-12: ← 04game 0506 →

37y, 8m, 29d	Jackie McNamara	Davie Irons former Jag

Scott Fox; Paul Paton; Aaron Taylor-Sinclair; Willie Kinniburgh; Iain Flannigan; David Rowson; Kris Doolan; Tommy Stewart; Chris Erskine
Ryan Scully; Jamie Campbell; Johnny Lindsay; Aaron Sekhon; Ryan Scanlon; David Wilson [ii]; Martin Grehan; Shaun Fraser; Jack Boyle

David Rowson (1-0, 20 mins); Tommy Stewart (2-0, 82 mins)		Stewart Kean (2-1, 86 mins)
Aaron Taylor-Sinclair		Willie Lyle; Kevin McKinlay

Chris Erskine (Jamie Campbell, 75 mins); Kris Doolan (Martin Grehan, 89 mins)		Brown Ferguson (Iain Thomson, 70 mins); Andy Rodgers (Grant Plenderleith, 75 mins); Paul McHale (Sean Dickson, 89 mins)

24y, 0m, 25d	Scott Fox	Chris McCluskey
24y, 3m, 5d	Paul Paton	Willie Lyle former Jag
20y, 3m, 15d	Aaron Taylor-Sinclair	Kevin McKinlay former Jag
18y, 10m, 6d	Stuart Bannigan	Martyn Corrigan former Jag
26y, 10m, 15d	Willie Kinniburgh	Ross McMillan
20y, 5m, 26d	Conrad Balatoni	Paul McHale
23y, 6m, 8d	Iain Flannigan	Brown Ferguson former Jag
34y, 10m, 9d	David Rowson	Andy Rodgers
24y, 7m, 12d	Kris Doolan	Stewart Kean
24y, 8m, 11d	Tommy Stewart	Eric Paton former Jag
24y, 5m, 15d	Chris Erskine	Stevie Murray former Jag

24y, 3m, 6d

18y, 8m, 24d	Ryan Scully	Ally Brown
18y, 9m, 7d	Johnny Lindsay	Iain Thomson
19y, 3m, 29d	Jamie Campbell	Grant Plenderleith
19y, 3m, 29d	Kieran Burns	Sean Dickson
26y, 9m, 14d	Martin Grehan	Paul Quinn

TTA report

Rowson was the unlikely scorer with a shot from the edge of the box (20). Thistle should have gone on an built on that lead but although they had a lot of possession it was still 1-0 at half-time. Close control and a low shot by Stewart (82) extended the lead then Stenhousemuir scored (squandered possession, 85).

Media report

23-Jul-2011, ptfc.co.uk

Thistle made it through to the Second Round of the Ramsdens Cup, deservedly defeating Stenhousemuir by two goals to one but didn’t in truth hit the heights in doing so.

In the opening exchanges Stenhousemuir provided amble evidence that progression to the next round for Thistle would be anything but easy. The Second Division side, who included six former Thistle players in their line-up, looking for compact and composed on the ball. It took Thistle until the 9th minute to fashion even a half chance when Stenhousemuir keeper McCluskey was able to grab Iain Flannigan’s through ball from the toes of the advancing Chris Erskine. Four minutes later McCluskey was in action again this time saving at his left hand post from Tommy Stewart. In the 20th minute Thistle had their first goal of season 2011/2012 and it came from the same player that scored the final goal of the previous season, David Rowson. This goal wasn’t quite of the same quality. Rowson creating a little room for himself at the edge of the box with his deflected effort leaving McCluskey wrong footed. Thistle were close to pressing home that advantage with a second goal soon after Rowson’s opener. Paul Paton knocked in a delightful cross from the right with Tommy Stewart just unable to direct his effort on target. A one goal lead is never a big advantage and while Stenhoseumuir hadn’t called Scott Fox into too much action they did provide a warning that Thistle’s work was far from done when Paul Mchale’s shot from close on 25 yards didn’t clear Scott Fox’s bar with too much to spare. The bulk of the action though continued to come in front of the Stenhousemuir goal. Tommy Stewart sent a shot from the left corner of the box just wide of goal and Chris Erskine, much to the evident frustration of his team mates , could only find Chris McCluskey with a cross while both Stewart and Doolan waited in good positions for the ball. In the 38th minute Kris Doolan, no doubt eager to net his first goal of the season, ignored Iain Flannigan to his left and instead elected to shoot for goal himself and wasn’t too far off target. Thistle though were still searching for the relative comfort of a second goal and there was another timely reminder of need of a second goal when Scott Fox had to be alert to save at the feet of Kevin McKinlay.

The early exchanges of the second half followed a very similar pattern to that of the previous 45 minutes with Thistle with a grip on the game but not able to make their advantage tell. In the 50th minute Ian Flannigan, after being set up by captain David Rowson, forced McCluskey into a save but when Kris Doolan sent a shot wide a few minutes later it was clear that the frustration of the Thistle fans was starting to grow. That frustration would have grown even more if Stewart Kean had found the net rather than seen his shot saved by Scott Fox in the 55th minute. There was further anxiety for Thistle just before the hour mark when it took a good defensive header from Aaron Sinclair after the ball had been whipped in from the left flank. As the game becoming increasingly untidy, Stenhousemuir’s Kean flicked an effort over the bar in one the game’s rare chances in the 75th minute. Thistle just about wrapped up their place in the next round with a second goal in the 81st minute. Tommy Stewart gathered Stuart Bannigan’s ball into the box and after showing good control, knocked a low shot beyond the reach of McCluskey and into the net. That goal should have wrapped up the win for Thistle but with 5 minutes remaining Stenhousemuir were able to pull one back when Stewart Kean was able to convert a left wing cross at the back post. With the scent of taking the game into extra-time Stenhousemuir caused a couple of moments of anxiety in the closing minutes. Thistle making a hash of clearing a corner and Scott Fox was required to make a save low down but the final whistle signalled a deserved win for Thistle.

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