25th Nov 2023 Partick Thistle 3 Queen's Park 0 (Scottish Cup 3rd Round)

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matches:2023-24: ← 21game 2223 →

Match Information

36y, 11m, 14d			Kris Doolan		Robin Veldman
Jack McMillan; Blair Alston
Harry Milne; Kerr McInroy
Blair Alston (1-0, 36 mins); Aidan Fitzpatrick (2-0, 41 mins); Aidan Fitzpatrick (3-0, 50 mins)
Aidan Fitzpatrick (1-0, 36 mins); Steven Lawless (2-0, 41 mins); Ben Stanway (3-0, 50 mins)
					Jack Spong; Dom Thomas
Blair Alston (Ben Williamson, 74 mins); Brian Graham (Tomi Adeloye, 74 mins); Steven Lawless (Zander MacKenzie, 79 mins); Aidan Fitzpatrick (James Lyon, 84 mins); Ben Stanway (Wes McDonald, 84 mins)					Stuart McKinstry (Louis Longridge, 55 mins); Jack Spong (Barry Hepburn, 68 mins); Tommy Robson (Cameron Bruce, 68 mins)
26y, 2m, 19d			Jamie Sneddon		Calum Ferrie
25y, 11m, 7d			Jack McMillan		Ben McPherson
23y, 7m, 24d			Wasiri Williams		Tommy Robson former Jag
20y, 6m, 10d			Lewis Neilson		Alex Bannon
33y, 2m, 26d			Aaron Muirhead		Charlie Fox
31y, 2m, 8d			Stuart Bannigan		Jack Spong
19y, 2m, 5d			Ben Stanway		Jack Thomson
32y, 7m, 13d			Steven Lawless		Jack Turner
36y, 0m, 2d			Brian Graham		Ruari Paton
31y, 8m, 2d			Blair Alston		Dom Thomas
22y, 8m, 5d			Aidan Fitzpatrick		Stuart McKinstry
25y, 11m, 19d
33y, 7m, 21d			David Mitchell		Sam Kane
22y, 3m, 18d			Ben Williamson		Barry Hepburn
26y, 6m, 21d			Wes McDonald		Aaron Healy
21y, 0m, 29d			James Lyon		Will Tizzard
18y, 2m, 28d			Zander MacKenzie		Cameron Bruce
18y, 6m, 18d			Ricco Diack		Lewis Reid
27y, 9m, 8d			Tomi Adeloye		Louis Longridge
					Patrick Jarrett
					Zach Mauchin

notes

Both sides generally in playing order. Thistle filled only 7 of their 9 allocated bench slots. The OPTA 'network' credits Steven Lawless with the first assist but, as the video evidence shows, his touch was one step removed and was in no way directly related to the goalscorer. It was Aidan Fitzpatrick who shielded the ball and touched it towards the scorer, Blair Alston.

Match Report

TTA report

After Queens had enjoyed a lively start, missing some chances, Thistle got into the game and a looping, dipping shot from the edge of the box by Alston (36), a 6-yard header by Fitzpatrick (41) and his low shot from a tight angle (50) put them in charge. A late flurry by Queens only proved their shooting was poor, Sneddon seldom involved.

TTA man of the match

Once again, the 22-year-old AIDAN FITZPATRICK was the star man, no mean feat in what was a highly committed team performance. He's hitting peak levels more often this season, and the dangerman was a joy to behold today, directly involved in every goal. A special word for Lewis Neilson - Hansen class!

Media report

25-Nov-2023, queensparkfc.co.uk

Queen’s Park paid a heavy price for not taking chances when on top as they exited the Scottish Gas Men’s Scottish Cup at Partick Thistle after a 3-0 defeat. Head Coach Robin Veldman made just one change to his starting line-up at Firhill with Stuart McKinstry handed his debut in place of Louis Longridge who dropped to the bench.

Jack Thomson kicked off what was the seventh meeting between the clubs in 2023 with McKinstry occupying a position on the left of the Spiders attack. Fox tried to play the new number 18 in-behind the home defence after 90 seconds however Jamie Sneddon raced to the edge of his area to gather the ball. Jack Turner was pulled down on the half-way shortly afterwards however referee Sneddon took no further action despite what looked like a promising opportunity opening up. On seven minutes a lovely move from the visitors was started by a curling Turner pass that found Dom Thomas and the skipper released Ben McPherson on the right with his low cross just cleared off the in-rushing Thomson’s toes. As Queen’s kept up the pressure a Turner header from six yards out was gathered by Sneddon. With 12 minutes played another fine pass, this time from Jack Spong, allowed Thomas to drive down the wing and cross for McKinstry who nodded wide. Thistle created an opening in the following minute when Aidan Fitzpatrick broke away however Alex Bannon stuck out a foot to end the danger at the expense of a corner.

On the quarter of an hour mark the Spiders failed to turn a great chance into a goal Thomas wriggled free from Wasiri Williams and slotted a pass through to McKinstry who sent a shot past the far post. Fitzpatrick opened up the visiting defence again on 21 minutes but thankfully there were no takers especially as there looked to be a handball in the build-up. Calum Ferrie made a good save on 25 minutes when Brian Graham popped up unmarked six yards out and fired for goal. An assistant’s flag was raised for offside however that shouldn’t hide the fact that the Queen’s number one had stood his ground well. Spong picked up a yellow card for a jersey pull, very similar to the earlier foul on Turner, on the half-way line 13 minutes from the break. Ferrie pulled off an outstanding triple save as he pushed away a Jack McMillan header before jumping up and clawing the ball away as it threatened to loop into the net. The danger was not over as Ben Stanway pounced and fired for goal but again Ferrie was on hand to save. Queen’s raced to the other end and won a corner that was met by Charlie Fox with the defender’s header flashing off target. A goal arrived on 37 minutes for the hosts when Blair Alston turned and sent a shot high into the net with the aid of a deflection. It became 2-0 four minutes later when Steven Lawless sent over a cross from the right wing and Fitzpatrick gave Ferrie no chance from his header.

The second half started with Thomas and McPherson prominent in taking the game to Thistle however the home defence cleared away a cross that came after a long period of possession. Thistle attacked for the first time after the restart on 50 minutes and they scored a third as Fitzpatrick exchanged passes with Stanway before slotting into the far corner. Thomas looked to provide a route back into the game with a drive from 20 yards with Sneddon keeping a close eye on it as it rose and cleared the bar. Queen’s earned a corner on 58 minutes from which Thomson crumpled to the ground after a challenge from Wasiri Williams however referee Sneddon was not interested in claims for a penalty. Ferrie and then Tommy Robson denied Lewis Neilson after the defender had pierced the Black and White defence 20 minutes into the resumption. Barry Hepburn came close to making an instant impact after coming on midway through the second half as he ran onto a slipped pass from Ruari Paton and sent a powerful shot oalward that brought out a good save from Sneddon. The resultant corner was met again by Fox with the home defence untroubled as his header dropped onto the top of the net. Queen’s afternoon was summed up 13 minutes from the end when Turner danced his way into the box and found Thomas who created space before sending a thumping shot that beat Sneddon but crashed off the top of the bar. With three minutes left Hepburn cut a pass back into the path of a charging Thomson who sent a fierce first time drive a foot wide with Paton denied an even later consolation when Williams slid in and took the ball just as the striker was set to shoot.

Reaction

Partick Thistle manager Kris Doolan (speaking to Jagzone):

We knew they would have possession, that's what they're built around, but if you keep your shape and don't give up too much then I knew that we would grow into the game, and I felt that after that first ten or fifteen minutes we took a hold of the game and took the game to them, they were on the back foot, and it stayed like that 'til the end of the game. We scored some brilliant goals and there were a lot more chances, it could have been 5 or 6 today on chances created. It was a real good performance from everybody, I don't think there was anyone out there who fell below their levels today, everybody was on the front foot, and you have to do that from the start to the finish in games. After that initial period, the intensity levels were through the roof for us.

Gallery

© Donald Wilson. All rights reserved. View the hi-res original album directly on flickr

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Video Highlights

Option 1: extended highlights

(credit:Queen's Park )

Option 2: fans-eye view of the Jags action

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Stats Watch

SEVEN IS THE MAGIC NUMBER

● Thistle's 132nd Scottish Cup campaign gets underway with a Glasgow derby. Surprisingly, it's the first time the Jags and Spiders have met at Firhill in the Scottish Cup.

● Thistle and Queen's Park meet for the 7th time this calendar year. The club-record (8) was set versus Rangers in 1979 (see graphic below).

● Blair Alston marks his first competitive start with his second goal for Thistle in successive games. Back-to-back beauties!

● With an assist and two goals on the day, dangerman Aidan Fitzpatrick takes his direct goal involvement tally to SIX in the last three games.

● Thistle finally defeat Queen's Park in the Scottish Cup at the seventh time of asking!

● Jamie Sneddon registers his 46th clean-sheet in all games and in that category rises above Jonny Tuffey into 9th place.

● 22-year-old Ben Williamson plays his last game for Thistle.

● 26-year-old Wes McDonald plays his last game for Thistle.

ongoing sequences:

● 5 competitive away games without defeat; 2nd Sep 2023 to date. (Longest run since: 7 games; 1st Apr 2023 to 18th Jul 2023. Club-record: 11 games; 29th Sep 1962 to 14th Mar 1963.)

● 39 consecutive competitive appearances for Steven Lawless, 18th Feb 2023 to date. (Longest run since: Aidan Fitzpatrick - 43 games, 3rd Dec 2022 to 21st Oct 2023. 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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