2nd May 2025 Livingston 0 Partick Thistle 1 (SPFL Championship - game 36)

matches:2024-25: ← 42game 4344 →

	David Martindale	Brian Graham	37y, 5m, 9d
		Mark Wilson	40y, 10m, 27d

		Kyle Turner; Ben Stanway
		Stuart Bannigan; Logan Chalmers

		Macaulay Tait (1-0, og 39 mins)
		Kanayo Megwa (1-0, og 39 mins)
Ryan McGowan; Tete Yeng; Andrew Shinnie		Luke McBeth; Kyle Turner; Daniel O'Reilly

Cristian Montaño (Tete Yengi, 58 mins); Scott Pittman (Andrew Shinnie, 69 mins); Robbie Muirhead (Stevie May, 72 mins); Jamie Brandon (Daniel Finlayson, 72 mins)		Sean Kelly (Steven Lawless, 50 mins); Robbie Crawford (Zander MacKenzie, 62 mins); Aidan Fitzpatrick (Terry Ablade, 83 mins)

	Jérôme Prior	David Mitchell	35y, 0m, 28d
	Jamie Brandon	Kanayo Megwa	21y, 1m, 27d
	Robbie Fraser	Daniel O'Reilly	30y, 0m, 21d
	Danny Wilson	Luke McBeth	25y, 7m, 23d
	former Jag Ryan McGowan	Lee Ashcroft	31y, 8m, 3d
	Stephen Kelly	Sean Kelly	31y, 6m, 1d
	Macaulay Tait	Robbie Crawford	30y, 10m, 10d
	Scott Pittman	Kyle Turner	27y, 5m, 22d
	former Jag Robbie Muirhead	Brian Graham	37y, 5m, 9d
	Lewis Smith	Ben Stanway	20y, 7m, 12d
	Cristian Montaño	Aidan Fitzpatrick	24y, 1m, 12d

			28y, 8m, 9d

	Jack Hamilton	Lewis Budinauckas	22y, 10m, 13d
	n-a	Luis Cameron	18y, 0m, 22d
	Shaun Donnellan	Steven Lawless	34y, 0m, 20d
	Matthew Clarke	Terry Ablade	23y, 6m, 20d
	Reece McAlear	Zander MacKenzie	19y, 8m, 4d
	Tete Yengi	Matthew Falconer	18y, 2m, 9d
	Stevie May	Nick Lockhart	18y, 0m, 13d
	Daniel Finlayson
	Michael Nottingham
	Andrew Shinnie

notes

Both sides generally in playing order.
Assistant ref Andy Milne was a replacement for the originally scheduled Jonathan Bell.
Thistle filled only 7 of their 9 allocated bench slots.

TTA report

Having failed to beat the bottom 3, wins over the top 2 followed. Megwa's driven cross was turned in (og, 39). Just as well as Thistle had no attempts on target in 90 mins. Vital saves by Mitchell kept Thistle's hold of the last play-off place (and thwarted Raith Rovers despite their scoring 5 against Queen's Park). A tremendous defensive display. On to the play-offs!

TTA man of the match

On the day he was recognised with the club's player of the month for April, LEE ASHCROFT was a colossus once again, leading by example as the back three stood tall and repelled everything, time and time again. What a shift.

Media report

David Forrest, 03-May-2025, ptfc.co.uk

Partick Thistle defeated Livingston 1-0 on a night filled with tension and nerves in West Lothian that ensured our season continues. It was all or nothing for both sides at the Home of the Set Fare Arena with Thistle knowing that a result equal or better than Raith Rovers would see them secure the final play-off spot ahead of Tuesday’s first leg. For Livingston, it was more Fast Car Friday than Helicopter Sunday as the Championship trophy sat equidistant between Falkirk and Livingston awaiting a winner. A win for Falkirk would seal the title, but any slip up would allow Livingston to clinch the league from under their noses. Stuart Bannigan missed out through suspension after picking up a red card in the 2-1 win over Falkirk, whilst Josh Reid and Logan Chalmers were injured, with Kyle Turner and Ben Stanway coming into the XI instead.

It was a lively start with both teams going for it from the first whistle, eager to lay a marker down in their respective battles. Livingston had the better of the early going, with chances created in and around the box. The pressure was cranked up with the news that Hamilton had taken the lead on seven minutes at the Falkirk Stadium. It could have been a magnificent seventh minute for the hosts as Robbie Muirhead raced clear however the legs of David Mitchell came to Thistle’s recue. Despite openings for Robbie Fraser, Stephen Kelly and Cristian Montaño, Thistle’s back line remained resolute, soaking up the pressure and standing firm. The complexion of the night then took a complete u-turn on the 37th minute, with developments at both ends of the title race. An equaliser for Falkirk against Hamilton was punctuated by Thistle opening the scoring against the run of play. A lovely three-man-move from Aidan Fitzpatrick, Ben Stanway and Kanayo Megwa saw Megwa find space on the right. He fired a pass across the box, only for Macaulay Tait to get in the way, inadvertently sending the ball into the Livingston net for an own goal. Livingston tried to respond immediately, with Stephen Kelly firing off a shot moments after kick off. Luckily for the Jags, the effort clattered off the bar, ensuring we remained one to the good going into the break.

Thistle suffered an early setback three minutes into the second half when Sean Kelly went down holding his hamstring. Kelly was replaced by Stevie Lawless, who deputised in Fitzpatrick’s role as Fitzpatrick moved to left wing back. By the hour mark, Thistle had more bodies down than the Royal Rumble with Brian Graham and Robbie Crawford also requiring treatment from the physio, with Crawford eventually coming off himself, replaced by Zander MacKenzie. Thistle were under the cosh as an increasingly more desperate Livingston threw everything at them in search of a goal. Over at Hampden, Raith Rovers were now 3-1 up on an under strength QP side, leaving Thistle looking over their shoulder as their goal difference advantage was eroded away. The Jags were penned into their own box and in serious danger, but the back three of Ashcroft, O’Reilly and McBeth were able to clear their way out of multiple risky situations as the tension continued to rise. Not even a third Falkirk goal to all but seal the league title could convince Livingston to take their foot off the gas. They continued to threaten Mitchell in the Thistle goal as news filtered through that Raith Rovers had now stretched their lead over QP to 5-1. Another injury, this time to Fitzpatrick, saw Ablade thrown on as a makeshift left wing back. It was backs to the wall, with Thistle knowing that one goal for Livi and one goal for Raith would sink their play-off hopes. A brilliant save from Mitchell from a Stevie May shot kept us in the lead, as Thistle braved seven additional minutes of injury time following the downtime earlier in the half. Livi were determined to spoil Thistle’s party, but The Jags made it through seven minutes of injury time to survive The West Lothian Alamo and confirm their place in the promotion playoffs.

Reaction

Partick Thistle player-manager Brian Graham (speaking to the BBC):

In the last two weeks the team as a whole, the coaching staff, everybody was in it together. The fans were absolutely superb tonight. And we said to the boys before the game that it's up to us whether the league finishes tonight or it carries on. And, for us, it carries on. We got the three points we were looking for - we couldn't come here hoping for a draw. I said that to everybody all week, 'we cannot come here and hope for a draw and think that will be enough'. We got the three points and now it's about recovering and going again Tuesday night.

Livingston manager David Martindale (speaking to the BBC):

The result really is irrelevant at this point, because Falkirk went and done the business and we've got to be man enough to congratulate Falkirk. They're up there for a reason, so I take my hat off to them. We had something like 70% possession. They get the goal from an OG. Wee Mac's [Macaulay Tait] unfortunate with the clearance. We've had two or three really good opportunities to get something from the game. The majority game is played in Partick's half. They're holding on for top four at that point. I thought the boys were a wee bit unlucky.

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