20th May 2018 Partick Thistle 0 Livingston 1 (SPFL Premiership play-off Final, 2nd leg)

matches:2017-18: ← 49game 5001 →

40y, 10m, 7d	Alan Archibald	David Hopkin

Christie Elliott; Andy McCarthy; Blair Spittal; Chris Erskine
Callum Booth; Danny Devine; Ryan Edwards; Conor Sammon

		Keaghan Jacobs (0-1, 46 mins)
		Shaun Byrne (0-1, 46 mins)
Christie Elliott; Adam Barton		Jordan Thompson; Alan Lithgow

Andy McCarthy (Conor Sammon, 55 mins); Martin Woods (Ryan Edwards, 70 mins); Chris Erskine (Callum Booth, 75 mins)		Jordan Thompson (Nicholas Cadden, 59 mins); Lee Miller (Jack McMillan, 68 mins); Scott Robinson (Gregor Buchanan, 79 mins)

33y, 1m, 10d	Tomáš Černý	Neil Alexander
27y, 6m, 28d	Paul McGinn	Alan Lithgow
26y, 11m, 24d	Christie Elliott	Craig Halkett
22y, 10m, 15d	Baily Cargill	Declan Gallagher former Jag
27y, 4m, 13d	Adam Barton	Jackson Longridge
32y, 4m, 19d	Martin Woods	Shaun Byrne
19y, 7m, 0d	Andy McCarthy	Scott Pittman
22y, 5m, 1d	Blair Spittal	Keaghan Jacobs
31y, 5m, 9d	Kris Doolan	Jordan Thompson
31y, 3m, 12d	Chris Erskine	Scott Robinson future Jag
27y, 1m, 8d	Steven Lawless	Lee Miller

27y, 5m, 18d

25y, 6m, 21d	Ryan Scully	Gary Maley
26y, 11m, 20d	Callum Booth	Jack McMillan future Jag
25y, 8m, 13d	Danny Devine	Gregor Buchanan
31y, 6m, 14d	Conor Sammon	Josh Mullin
24y, 6m, 3d	Ryan Edwards	Nicholas Cadden
19y, 4m, 28d	James Penrice	Adam Frizzell
24y, 4m, 16d	Miles Storey

notes

Both sides generally in playing order.
Livingston filled only 6 of their 7 allocated bench slots.

TTA report

AGG: 1-3. Thistle's “passing game“ was devoid of penetration and guile. A sweeping shot (46) signalled 2 banks of 5 to form and yet more time-wasting. Livingston absorbed everything thrown at them. Thistle didn't trouble the keeper and Sammon's penalty was saved (90). Relegation confirmed. Worse than dreadful.

Media report

Brian McLauchlin, 20-May-2018, bbc.com

Livingston completed an aggregate victory in the Premiership play-off final to secure successive promotions and relegate Partick Thistle. In a first half of few chances, Thistle's Blair Spittal had a low strike saved as the Jags tried to overturn their 2-1 first-leg deficit. Keaghan Jacobs' sweeping shot put Livi in front on the day after the break. And goalkeeper Neil Alexander saved a late Conor Sammon penalty to make sure of victory for David Hopkin's side. The Championship runners-up, who won last season's League One title, return to the top flight after a 12-year absence and become the first side since Hamilton Academical in 2014 to win promotion via the Premiership play-off final. Alan Archibald's Thistle go back to the second tier five years on from their promotion and just a year after finishing sixth in the top league.

The Jags knew all the pressure was on them to get at least one goal without reply just to take the tie to extra-time. The opening 20 minutes were frantic with the home side looking nervous and both Christie Elliott and Adam Barton finding their way into the book of referee John Beaton. Eventually, though, Archibald's side found their way and were able to force a sustained spell of pressure, Chris Erskine's header from a Stevie Lawless cross coming close. Livingston looked content to allow the home side possession until the final third of the pitch before then applying the pressure required to keep their hosts at bay. But with the home side pushing forward gaps began to appear in the Thistle defence. Jordan Thompson had a shot blocked by the legs of Barton and, after a slip by Andrew McCarthy, Livi midfielder Shaun Byrne found himself with space in front of goal but delayed his effort and the chance was gone. On the stroke of half-time, Spittal drove forward and fired in an effort from the edge of the box that 40-year-old Alexander dived low to his left to tip the ball around the post.

Just 30 seconds into the second period Livingston gave themselves extra breathing space in the tie. Lee Miller flicked on a long throw into the box with the ball falling at the feet of Byrne. The midfielder cushioned the ball into the path of the advancing Jacobs, who drilled his low shot beyond Tomas Cerny. The 2,000-plus fans who had made the short trip along the M8 were now in full voice as they roared their team on. Archibald soon looked at the bench with Sammon given the nod and McCarthy making way as Thistle looked to find a way back into the tie. Hopkin responded with Thompson replaced with the fresh legs of Nicky Cadden and his trio of central defenders - Craig Halkett, Alan Lithgow and Declan Gallagher - were throwing their bodies in front of anything that came their way. The home side were now committing more and more players forward and both Lawless and Spittal had long-range efforts that ended up in the arms of Alexander, who denied Lawless again moments later. Many of the home fans had already made their way towards the exit before the board showing four additional minutes was raised. But the drama was far from over when the home side were awarded a penalty after a handball by Lithgow. However, Alexander dived to his right to make a terrific stop from Sammon's spot-kick and when referee Beaton blew the full-time whistle it was the Livingston fans who were able to celebrate.

Reaction

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald (speaking to the BBC):

I'm so disappointed for everyone at the football club, and our fans. We deserved nothing from the game today, to be honest. The play-off gives you a second chance to stay in the Premiership and we can't even score. That's the biggest disappointment, but congratulations to Livingston. They deserve it. I feel the hurt and the pain of everyone involved in our football club. There are a lot of good people and the whole club will feel it. [on his own future…] It's a bit raw at the moment. It's not about individuals, it's about the club. We'll sit down and there's going to be changes. We know that - we'll see what the week brings. We'll have to rebuild - I think we have 15 or 16 players out of contract; others in contract have clauses as well to protect the club financially. It's important that the club's protected first and foremost. We've had five good seasons, no four, and we obviously go down. But we've enjoyed it and the club's moved on both on and off the pitch. There's a lot of talking to be done and a lot of changes at the club - it's important that we get it right.

Livingston manager David Hopkin (speaking to the BBC):

I didn't expect it to happen and this is the hardest way to go up. We do things the hard way here, but I've got to give great credit to the players. They were magnificent for me. It's a magnificent achievement - two promotions in two years is fantastic. You can see today, I think the club deserves it. We've worked hard to try to get the fans back. It's fantastic. Hopefully, next year they'll all turn up and that'll be us. I'm delighted for everybody connected with the club, delighted for my family. We'll have a right good night tonight and football's out my mind until next week.

ARCHIBALD'S TAME THISTLE SIDE DESERVEDLY RELEGATED

● The closing game of the 143rd season of Partick Thistle F.C.

● The crowd of 7,122 stands today as the record for any Thistle vs. Livingston match.

● 22-year-old Baily Cargill plays his last game for Thistle.

● 24-year-old Ryan Edwards plays his last game for Thistle.

● 26-year-old Callum Booth plays his last game for Thistle.

● 27-year-old Adam Barton plays his last game for Thistle.

● 27-year-old Paul McGinn plays his last game for Thistle.

● 31-year-old Conor Sammon plays his last game for Thistle.

● 32-year-old Martin Woods plays his last game for Thistle.

● 33-year-old Tomáš Černý plays his last game for Thistle.

● The biggest gathering of Partick Thistle supporters in 5 years bears witness to just how ineffective Alan Archibald's Thistle have become.

● Thistle's yellow card count rises to a massive 88 for season 2017-18, certainly the highest figure in 21 years, and possibly the highest figure ever.

● Conor Sammon's 100% spot-kick record comes to an end, his lame stoppage-time effort now leaving him with a rather ordinary 75% success ratio.

● Kris Doolan, with 11 goals, becomes the first Thistle player in history to finish as top competitive scorer in 5 successive seasons.

● Thistle finished with a measly 1.02 goals-per-game in League and Cup action in 2017-18 (49 in 48), the club's 5th lowest scoring ratio of all-time.

● Thistle lose for the 25th time in competitive action in 2017-18, the 7th highest tally of all-time and the most horrendous total since the abysmal season of 2003-04.

● Thistle gain the ignominious distinction of being the first Scottish top-flight club to lose both legs of the play-offs Final.

● Thistle become the first Scottish club to be relegated twice from the top-flight via the play-offs.

● Partick Thistle are relegated for the tenth time in their history, and will now seek to be promoted for the eleventh time. 5 times out of 10 the club have bounced back at the first time of asking.

ongoing sequences:

● 19 consecutive competitive appearances for Baily Cargill, 23rd Jan 2018 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Ryan Edwards - 35 games; 8th Aug 2017 to 3rd Apr 2018. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games; 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

● 49 games since back-to-back League wins, 11th Mar 2017 to date. (Longest run since: 71 games; 16th Apr 2013 to 14th Mar 2015. Club-record: 77 games; 2nd Nov 1912 to 5th Dec 1914.)

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