20th Jan 2024 Ross County 0 Partick Thistle 3 (Scottish Cup 4th Round)

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matches:2023-24: ← 30game 3132 →

	Derek Adams	Kris Doolan	37y, 1m, 9d

		Scott Robinson
		Blair Alston

		Brian Graham (1-0, 37 mins); Scott Robinson (2-0, 45+1 mins); Stuart Bannigan (3-0, 54 mins)
		Aidan Fitzpatrick (1-0, 37 mins); none (2-0, 45+1 mins); none (3-0, 54 mins)
Victor Loturi		Jack McMillan

Josh Sims (Jay Henderson, HT); Max Sheaf (Jordan White, HT); Connor Randall (James Brown); Ryan Leak (Eamon Brophy, 83 mins); George Harmon (Josh Reid, 83 mins)		Kerr McInroy (Ben Stanway, 61 mins); Scott Robinson (Blair Alston, 61 mins); Steven Lawless (Tomi Adeloye, 68 mins); Brian Graham (Ricco Diack, 68 mins); Aaron Muirhead (Wasiri Williams, 75 mins)

	George Wickens	Jamie Sneddon	26y, 4m, 14d
	Connor Randall	Jack McMillan	26y, 1m, 2d
	George Harmon	Harry Milne	27y, 2m, 22d
	Ryan Leak	Lewis Neilson	20y, 8m, 5d
	Will Nightingale	Aaron Muirhead	33y, 4m, 21d
	Eli King	Stuart Bannigan	31y, 4m, 3d
	Max Sheaf	Kerr McInroy	23y, 4m, 20d
	Victor Loturi	Steven Lawless	32y, 9m, 8d
	Simon Murray	Brian Graham	36y, 1m, 28d
	Yan Dhanda	Scott Robinson	31y, 10m, 8d
	Josh Sims	Aidan Fitzpatrick	22y, 10m, 0d

			27y, 7m, 23d

	Ross Laidlaw	Ross Stewart	28y, 9m, 10d
	Cameron Borthwick-Jackson	Wasiri Williams	23y, 9m, 19d
	James Brown	Blair Alston	31y, 9m, 28d
	Jay Henderson	Ben Stanway	19y, 4m, 0d
	Jordan White	James Lyon	21y, 2m, 24d
	Eamon Brophy	Zander MacKenzie	18y, 4m, 23d
	Josh Reid	Jamie Taggart	18y, 5m, 14d
		Ricco Diack	18y, 8m, 13d
		Tomi Adeloye	27y, 11m, 3d

notes

Both sides generally in playing order.
Ross County filled only 7 of their 9 allocated bench slots.

TTA report

Fitzpatrick's shot into the box was dummied by Robinson and Graham had a tap-in at the back post (37). When McInroy's shot was blocked Robinson slotted home from 6 yards for a deserved 2-goal lead (45+1). Sneddon had some fine saves as County pressed but Bannigan scored a collectors' item with a right foot (!) volley from 20-yards (54). Excellent all round.

TTA man of the match

For all the right reasons this was probably the most difficult game of the season to pick a star man, but we give it to STUART BANNIGAN who was a buzzbomb and turned the midfield cogs splendidly, even rounding it off with one of the most-loved goals seen in recent years. He'll sleep sound after this one.

Media report

Tyronne Smith, 20-Jan-2024, bbc.com

Championship Partick Thistle booked their place in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup with a commanding 3-0 win to stun top flight Ross County in Dingwall. Goals from Brian Graham, Scott Robinson and Stuart Bannigan saw Thistle rampage through, and went a little way to avenging their heartbreaking Premiership play-off defeat by County at the same venue last summer.

Both teams had chances in what was a really lively first half, but it was Thistle who broke the deadlock on 36 minutes. Aidan Fitzpatrick played the ball in from the left and Brian Graham was on hand to prod it in at the back post. They almost scored again moments later. Graham saw his shot saved by George Wickens, and Harry Milne's header from the resulting rebound shaved the cross bar. However on the stroke of half-time Thistle doubled their lead, with a Kerr McInroy shot parried away by Wickens into the path of Scott Robinson, who fired it home from close range.

After having probably received a rocket from manager Derek Adams during the break, County started the second half well, with Thistle keeper Jamie Sneddon making good saves to deny both Yan Dhanda and Jay Henderson. But it was game over on 53 minutes as the ball fell from a cleared corner into the path of Bannigan, who let loose a stunning volleyed it into the net - a strike that was from the top drawer and fit to win any game. Substitute Jordan White had a glancing header saved by Sneddon as County tried to find some sort of route back into the game, but Thistle almost made it four when Ricco Diack fizzed a powerful low shot just wide. It was a fine afternoon's work for the men from Maryhill who deservedly eased through, leaving Adams with plenty to ponder as he looks to try and turnaround what is turning into a really disappointing season for County.

Reaction

Partick Thistle manager Kris Doolan:

I told the boys before the game we've got so many threats from so many areas, it's difficult for the opposition to stop all of them. I felt as if tonight we really showed that. As a team we defended well, we got close, we were tenacious, we had bodies round the ball and going forward we'll always be a threat.

Ross County manager Derek Adams:

Over the afternoon we didn't do well enough. They started quicker than us and they were able to get ahead in the game. The endeavour was there today but defensively we had to do better and cleaner when we were in with chances as well.

THE GREAT UNPREDICTABLES

● It's an excellent performance from Scott Robinson who registers a direct goal involvement in a third consecutive match.

● Aidan Fitzpatrick (16) nudges ahead of Steven Lawless (15) in the goals-assists combi-table for 2023-24. Excellent totals for both.

● Stuart Bannigan (with a RIGHT FOOTED peach) nets his 20th goal in all competitions, 15 months on from his 30th birthday goal vs. Cove Rangers in September 2022.

● The great unpredictables end their record-run of 5 competitive away games without a win versus Ross County by registering the joint-record away result against them. You couldn't make it up! This 3-0 win matches the 5-2 win of December, 2006.

● Partick Thistle maintain their 100% win rate against Ross County in the Scottish Cup, having knocked them out in Dingwall in both 2007 & 2024.

● Thistle defeat higher league opposition in the Scottish Cup for the 7th time, having last done so in 2006 vs. Inverness CT. It's the greatest margin of victory in such circumstances, going one better than the 3-1 vs. St Mirren in 1989.

● Jamie Sneddon keeps his 48th and final clean-sheet in 'All Games'. Only 7 'keepers have more; Alan Rough (191), Kenny Arthur (83), Johnny Jackson (79), George Niven (65), Tommy Ledgerwood (64), Scott Fox (62) and Willie Howden (52). See The goalies' appearances & clean-sheets.

● Thistle remain undefeated in the calendar year, 4 competitive games in. Last time they done that (2021) they won a title and promotion.

● Poor old County haven't won a Scottish Cup tie since January 2019 when a Brian Graham (whatever happened to him?) double gave them a 2-1 win at Fir Park.

ongoing sequences:

● 7 competitive home games without defeat; 31st Oct 2023 to date. (Longest run since: 12 games; 4th Mar 2023 to 26th Aug 2023. Club-record: 24 games; 5th May 2001 to 17th Aug 2002.)

● 48 consecutive competitive appearances for Steven Lawless, 18th Feb 2023 to date. (Longest run since: Jack McMillan - 52 games, 9th Jul 2022 to 4th Jun 2023. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

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