16th May 2025 Livingston 2 Partick Thistle 0 (SPFL Premiership play-off Semi Final, 2nd leg)

matches:2024-25: ← 46game 4701 →

	David Martindale	Brian Graham	37y, 5m, 23d
		Mark Wilson	40y, 11m, 11d

		Ben Stanway; Steven Lawless
		Jamie Low; Lee Ashcroft

Jamie Brandon (0-1, 40 mins)‎; Stevie May (0-2, 67‎ mins)
Lewis Scott (0-1, 40 mins)‎; Scott Pittman (0-2, 67‎ mins)
Lewis Smith		Brian Graham; Ben Stanway; Stuart Bannigan

Robbie Muirhead (Andrew Shinnie, HT); Jamie Brandon (Daniel Finlayson, HT); Lewis Smith (Stevie May, 59 mins); Cristian Montaño (Tete Yengi, 59 mins); Scott Pittman (Reece McAlear, 71 mins)		Aidan Fitzpatrick (Alex Jakubiak, 65 mins); Ben Stanway (Zander MacKenzie, 72 mins); Stuart Bannigan (Liam Dolan, 84 mins)

	Jérôme Prior	David Mitchell	35y, 1m, 12d
	Jamie Brandon	Kanayo Megwa	21y, 2m, 11d
	Robbie Fraser	Stuart Bannigan	32y, 7m, 29d
	former Jag Ryan McGowan	Daniel O'Reilly	30y, 1m, 5d
	Danny Wilson	Luke McBeth	25y, 8m, 7d
	Macaulay Tait	Ben Stanway	20y, 7m, 26d
	Stephen Kelly	Robbie Crawford	30y, 10m, 24d
	Scott Pittman	Steven Lawless	34y, 1m, 4d
	former Jag Robbie Muirhead	Brian Graham	37y, 5m, 23d
	Lewis Smith	Logan Chalmers	25y, 1m, 22d
	Cristian Montaño	Aidan Fitzpatrick	24y, 1m, 26d

			28y, 9m, 30d

	Jack Hamilton	Lewis Budinauckas	22y, 10m, 27d
	n-a	Luis Cameron	18y, 1m, 6d
	Matthew Clarke	Alex Jakubiak	28y, 8m, 19d
	Reece McAlear	Zander MacKenzie	19y, 8m, 18d
	Tete Yengi	Matthew Falconer	18y, 2m, 23d
	Stevie May	Nick Lockhart	18y, 0m, 27d
	Daniel Finlayson	Liam Rooney	16y, 10m, 0d
	Michael Nottingham	Liam Dolan	16y, 0m, 19d
	Andrew Shinnie	Jamie Low	17y, 7m, 16d
	Samson Lawal

notes

Both sides generally in playing order.
Thistle listed 2 sub goalies.

TTA report

Agg: 0-4. As with the 1st leg there was little between the teams - except in the final third. Makeshift Thistle showed remarkable energy and had the early play - but lacked a clinical finish. A shot across Mitchell (via his hand) put them behind (40) and an audacious 18-yard lob over Mitchell sealed the win (67). Thistle gave it all they could but they came up short.

TTA man of the match

That killer touch was lacking for the team in general, but it was a typical BEN STANWAY performance, full of effort and bite, winning balls, and always looking to be positive going forward.

Media report

David Forrest, 16-May-2025, ptfc.co.uk

Partick Thistle’s season came to an end with a 2-0 loss at Livingston in the Premiership Play Off Semi Final Second Leg. The Jags came into the game at the Home of the Set Fare Arena with a tough task, having lost the first leg at home by the same score-line. Ben Stanway returned to the starting XI in place of Lee Ashcroft, as Thistle switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation. Stuart Bannigan rolled back the years, being deployed at left back for the first time since our title-winning 2012/13 season. Jamie Low was rested after two gruelling games in the last seven days, while Stevie Lawless returned too.

With everything to do, Thistle looked the most lively in the early going. They forged forward, attempting to try and rectify the two-goal deficit. As promised by Brian Graham, Thistle “threw the kitchen sink” at Livi early on in search of a goal, getting a lot of joy down the right-hand side. On eleven minutes, a cross from Stevie Lawless found its way to Graham who was through on goal. His effort was stopped by Jérôme Prior, only for the offside flag to be raised anyway. There was then a spate of chances at both ends, with Lewis Smith eliciting a great save out of David Mitchell. Graham then had a good opportunity minutes later when Aidan Fitzpatrick found him on the edge of the box, but BG’s curled effort was blocked by Prior. Mitchell then required treatment after he is caught by a Livi striker as Mitchell came out to gather the ball as Chalmers tried to shepherd it towards him. With five minutes left in the half, disaster struck as Livingston took the lead. In a carbon copy of their opener on Tuesday, Livi once again cut Thistle open down the right hand side, with defender Jamie Brandon firing a shot from the right. Mitchell was able to get a hand to the shot, but it wasn’t enough to stop the ball going in the back of the net. Livingston nearly made it two almost immediately however Lewis Smith was well marshalled, with Thistle’s defence clearing the ball and ensuring they remained just a goal down at half time.

Livingston made two changes at the break. Jamie Brandon and striker Robbie Muirhead, both on eleven bookings and at risk of suspension for the play-off final, came off for Dan Finlayson and Andrew Shinnie, who tried to immediately make an impact, hauling himself to the floor in the hopes of a penalty which was waved off. On 53 minutes, Fitzpatrick rode forward with the ball. Graham on his right was screaming for the pass, but Fitzy went for glory himself, only for his effort to be blocked easily. Any glimmer of hope for the Jags fizzled out on 66 minutes when Stevie May spotted David Mitchell off his line and hit a half-volley over the keeper to make it 2-0 on the night, 4-0 on aggregate. Graham came close after winning a free-kick just outside the Livingston penalty area. It bent in well, but was an inch or two too high and went out for a goal kick. Livingston absorbed any pressure placed on them through the second half as Thistle failed to create any meaningful chances. Bannigan was then subbed off with moments to go, allowing Liam Dolan to come on for his first team debut less than a fortnight after his 16th birthday, having appeared as an unused substitute the last two games. Despite the insurmountable lead, the strong away support continued to sing and make noise throughout, giving their all in backing the team. It was just another example of the exceptional loyalty shown by the Jags faithful throughout the 24/25 season. There was no injury time as referee Kevin Clancy blew on the 90 minute mark to draw the curtain down on Thistle’s season. Livingston will now play Dundee or Ross County in the Scottish Premiership play-off final whilst Thistle will break for the summer as the club prepares for another year in the Championship in the 25/26 season.

Reaction

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

We didn't do enough in the first leg. I thought we were probably the better side [in the second leg]. When we were on top, we've got to score and we didn't do that, that's why we're out. The boys were a credit to the football club, the way they played. We were up for the job since day one. I knew stepping out that changing room, I couldn't go back to it so if I don't get the job, can I honestly be at the club? I don't know. There's a lot of questions need to be asked. I've loved my time at the football club. I don't know what the future holds.

Livingston manager David Martindale (speaking to the BBC):

Delighted we're through. Two clean sheets, four goals. We found a way in the first half. The second half was more of a dominant possession, we weren't under any real pressure in the second half.

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