16th Nov 2019 Stenhousemuir 1 Partick Thistle 4 (Challenge Cup Quarter Final)

matches:2019-20: ← 21game 2223 →

Match Information

			former Jag Davie Irons		Ian McCall			55y, 1m, 17d
					Ryan Williamson; Craig Slater; Joe Cardle; Lewis Mansell; Raffaele De Vita
					Osman Kakay; Sean McGinty; Stuart Bannigan; Cammy Palmer; Dario Zanatta
David Hopkirk (1-1, 68 mins)‎					Reece Cole (1-0, 34 mins)‎; Gary Harkins (2-1, 70‎ mins); Craig Slater (3-1, 79‎ mins); Kenny Miller (4-1, 86 mins)
David Marsh (1-1, 68 mins)‎					Craig Slater (1-0, 34 mins)‎; Ben Hall (2-1, 70‎ mins); Joe Cardle (3-1, 79‎ mins); Reece Cole (4-1, 86 mins)
					Raffaele De Vita; Reece Cole
Mark McGuigan (Kieran Anderson, 63 mins); Dylan Dykes (Thomas Halleran, 81 mins); Willie Gibson (Conor McBride, 81 mins)					Raffaele De Vita (Tommy Robson, 53 mins); Lewis Mansell (Gary Harkins, 62 mins)
			former Jag Graeme Smith		Scott Fox			32y, 4m, 19d
			Jordan Armstrong		Ryan Williamson			23y, 8m, 2d
			David Marsh		James Penrice			20y, 10m, 25d
			Dylan Dykes		Tam O'Ware			26y, 7m, 27d
			former Jag Mark McGuigan		Ben Hall			22y, 10m, 0d
			David Hopkirk		Craig Slater			25y, 6m, 21d
			Alan Cook		Reece Cole			21y, 8m, 30d
			Scott McLaughlin		Joe Cardle			32y, 9m, 9d
			Andy Munro		Lewis Mansell			22y, 1m, 27d
			Jonathan Tiffoney		Kenny Miller			39y, 10m, 24d
			Willie Gibson		Raffaele De Vita			32y, 1m, 24d
								27y, 4m, 3d
			Kyle Marley		Jamie Sneddon			22y, 2m, 10d
			Chris O'Neill		Sean McGinty			26y, 3m, 5d
			Thomas Halleran		Gary Harkins			34y, 10m, 14d
			Ryan Watters		Tommy Robson			24y, 2m, 5d
			Conor McBride		Steven Saunders			28y, 7m, 17d
			Kieran Anderson
			Max Potter

notes

Both sides generally in playing order. Thistle filled only 5 of their 7 allocated bench slots. SPFL incorrectly credits Reece Cole with Thistle's 2nd assist; Ben Hall is confirmed via the match highlights video.

Match Report

TTA report

Cole scored from 25 yards into the right hand corner (34) and it was only what Thistle's play deserved. It was level (68) but the goal shook Thistle out of a complacent spell. Sub Harkins restored the lead 2 minutes later at the back post following a corner. Slater (79) then Miller (86) put the tie well beyond Stenhousemuir.

Media report

Lindsay Herron, 16-Nov-2019, The Scotsman

Ian McCall is hoping his side can build momentum after snuffing out a brief Stenhousemuir comeback to comfortably claim a place in the last four of the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup. Having finally won at home in the league last week, they now face Penicuik in the Scottish Cup next week and three wins in a row will surely breed confidence.

Stenhousemuir had their goalkeeper to thank for not conceding early as Graeme Smith made two terrific saves in the space of a minute. The former Motherwell stopper brilliantly pushed Lewis Mansell’s header over the bar in 13 minutes after James Penrice had crossed from the left. Then Smith made a fine block on Penrice’s stinging left-foot shot 60 seconds later. The Thistle full-back was the supplier again in 17 minutes when his deep cross seemed perfect for Joe Cardle but the winger made a complete mess of an attempted volley. It was no surprise Penrice was involved as Partick finally made the breakthrough four minutes later. He slid a great ball down the left for Craig Slater who played a pass inside and Reece Cole slammed a right-foot shot that flew past Smith into the right corner of the net. Thistle, however, made life difficult for themselves by not really kicking on and the Warriors grew in confidence.

They found an equaliser in 68 minutes when Partick did not deal with Alan Cook’s cross into the box, the ball broke to David Hopkirk and he expertly fired a left-foot shot into the left corner. The Stenny celebrations were short-lived as Thistle regained the lead less than two minutes later. Cole’s corner from the left dropped nicely for Harkins, who shot home from barely two yards out. Craig Slater sealed the semi-final place 11 minutes from time when Cardle teed him up and he clinically shot past Smith. Then Kenny Miller – who scored ten goals in 13 games in a loan spell with Stenny 20 years ago – added some gloss to the victory four minutes from time. He took a pass from Cardle and brilliantly slammed a right-foot shot into the top right corner.

Reaction

Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall (speaking to The Scotsman):

I thought we were sloppy for 15 or 20 minutes at the start of the second half. But Gary Harkins scoring right after they equalised took a lot of energy out of them. None of the games are ever easy. We have Penicuik next week and then two league games after that. Hopefully we can build some momentum. I think we got a lot from the Morton game last week. Not in a football sense but in a grit and determination sense. Penicuik will bring about 1500 supporters so it should be a good atmosphere.

Stenhousemuir manager Davie Irons (speaking to The Scotsman):

When we got back level I thought they looked a wee bit shaky but to lose a goal soon after that was criminal. You talk about key moments in games and the second goal just took the steam right out of us and left us a mountain to climb.

Scrapbook

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Sunday Post, 17th November, 2019

Gallery

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Video Highlights

(credits: Stenhousemuir FC / Partick Thistle Television )

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Stats Watch

HAPPY AWAY DAYS

● Reece Cole scores his first goal for Thistle.

● 32-year-old Raffaele De Vita plays his last game for Thistle.

● Craig Slater scores his last goal for Thistle.

● Gary Harkins scores his last goal for Thistle.

● Thistle win a seventh consecutive competitive game versus Stenhousemuir, the H2H record.

● Thistle go 7 competitive games without defeat versus Stenhousemuir, the H2H record.

● It's now 5 competitive away games without defeat (2004-date) for Thistle at Ochilview, an extension of the H2H record.

● This 5th consecutive competitive game away win (2004-date), is an extension of the H2H record.

● The 3 goal victory margin matches Thistle's best result away to Stenhousemuir as previously achieved in 2004, 2005 and 2016.

ongoing sequences:

● 13 League games outwith the top-flight without a clean-sheet, 3rd Aug 2019 to date. (Longest run since: 15 games; 21st Oct 2006 to 10th Feb 2007. Club-record: 35 games; 19th Aug 1893 to 18th May 1895.)

● 16 home games without a clean-sheet in the League; 15th Dec 2018 to date. (Longest run since: 18 games; 11th Feb 2006 to 3rd Mar 2007. Club-record: 22 games; 25th Apr 1908 to 23rd Oct 1909.)

● 22 consecutive competitive appearances for Kenny Miller, 13th Jul 2019 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Sean McGinty - 27 games, 6th Apr 2019 to 9th Nov 2019. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

Stats Watch adheres to our stated definitions of League, League Max, Major Competitive, Competitive or All Games. Where there is no written qualification, you should presume that the Stat in question is compiled from the All Games criteria.

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