One team in Glasgow Partick Thistle

Livingston 0-2 Partick Thistle   ALBA Challenge Cup

7 September 2008 Almondvale Stadium 3.00

Reporter: Kieron Dempsey

Scorers: Thistle: Turner 75, Twaddle 78.

Attendance: TBA
Thistle secured their place in the semi finals of the ALBA cup amidst the swirling rain at Almondvale. Before the match fans of both sides paid their respects to the late Jamie Dolan who had turned out for both clubs through a minutes applause.

Both sides had been forced to make some changes and Livingston were without some of their better known players with the likes of James McPake and Leigh Griffiths forced out through injury and callum Elliot away on international duty. Iain McCall made three changes to the side that had lost last week to Ross County. Out were Tuffey, Lennon and Robertson (suspended) and in came Hinchcliffe, Kinniburgh and Gray. The weather was damp, cold and drizzley and the pitch was pretty waterlogged. However,  the drearyness of the conditions did not dampen the efforts of both sides to serve up some entertainment.

The first half was a fairly even affair with few real chances created by either side. Livingston did threaten first from a 25 yards free kick but Craig Hinchcliffe dealt with McParland’s low shot easily. Thistle were next to have a go with Gray heading over from a Twaddle cross. Thstle pressed forward once again down the right with Twaddle once again getting his cross in only to see it put out for a corner.

Livingston too pushed forward and the Jags nearly suffered from a poor clearance by Hinchcliffe, but fortunately McParland’s drive was well wide of the goal.

The match stayed fairly evenly split with both sides pressing for the opener. Rowson came close to connecting with a Donnelly cross in the 31st minute, but two minutes later Maxwell was forced to block a Liam Fox shot.

The best chance of the half came to Livingston with Talbot launching the ball to MacDonald at the back post, his drive fell into the path of Chris Innes who mis-kicked his effort, but Cuenca took the chance to turn and shoot. Thankfully  Hinchcliffe was ready and saved the shot with ease. Both sides went to the dressing room goaless having contributed to what had been an entertaining half.

The second half began as the first half had finished with both sides giving a good account of themselves in a fairly even start. Thistle perhaps were pressing the most, but the first real threat came in the 58th minute with Hinchcliffe catching a Davidson header as Cuenca was about to connect. Minutes later Hinchcliffe again was callerd on to thwart the efforts of McParland and Quinn who was about to latch on to his team-mates cross.

Innes was replaced by Cave in 59 minutes and the Lions changed the shape of their team: Cave moved to the left back position, Talbot switched to the right and Miller took up Innes’s position in the centre. Whether it was as a result of this or not Iain McCall changed the Thistle side only minutes later with Roberts coming on for Donnelly.

The changes seemed to favour Thistle and Paton was able to do what he does best getting himself into open spaces away from defenders and putting in crosses for his teammates. His next cross fell almost perfectly for his team-mate with Chaplain connecting well but his glancing header just shaved the post as it went wide.

Livingston’s best chance of the half came from Liaim Fox whose 20 yard blast just went wide of the goal to the disappointment of the home fans. But Thistle were starting to edge it now and continued to improve as the game went on. Paton again found himself some space and his perfectly delivered cross was met by Marc Twaddle who was unable to control it effectively and the ball went over the bar. Manager Iain McCall then took off Chaplain and put on new signing Chris Turner in centre midfield.

The substitution didnt take long to pay off. Paul Paton’s perfectly weighted cross fell straight in front of the new boy  Turner.  He took the ball perfectly, got in behind the Livingston defence and put the ball through McKenzie’s legs and into the back of the net. An excellently taken goal puting the Jags one nil up.

McKinlay replaced Gray in the 77th minute and Thistle’s second goal followed in a minute later, a Mark Roberts cross being missed by the Livingston keeper and falling to Twaddle who only had to nod it home.

Livingston desperately tried to change things by replacing Cuenco with Giarrizzo and Fox with Smith, but it was too late for the Lions and Thistle had made it through to the Challenge Cup semi final for the first time.

Livingston: McKenzie, Millar, Talbot, McDonald, Fox (Smith 78), Innes (Cave 59), McPartland, Davidson, Cuenca (Giarrizzo 78), Quinn, Hamill.

Subs Not Used: Keaghan Jacobs, Martini.

Partick Thistle: Hinchcliffe, Paton, Twaddle, Storey, Kinniburgh, Maxwell, Chaplain (Turner 70), Rowson, Gray (McKinlay 77), Donnelly (Roberts 62), Harkins.

Subs Not Used: Murray, Little.

Booked: Harkins.

Goals: Turner 75, Twaddle 78.

Ref: D Somers