Saturday 11 March 2006
| Thistle 2 - 2 Ayr Utd
Written by Kenny Pieper |
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| Saturday, 11 March 2006 | |
| Thistle are now involved in a real battle to earn a play-off place after throwing away a two-goal lead at home to Ayr United; a miserable second half performance even had them hanging on for a point and it’s relegation threatened Ayr who will feel hard done by tonight.On a freezing and gloomy afternoon at Firhill, Thistle and Ayr fought out a 2-2 draw. Although 2-0 up just after half-time, Thistle were left hanging on after a dreadful second half display, and you have to wonder exactly what has happened to the team who pushed Hearts so closely a mere fortnight ago.
With Smyth and Gillies both out, and Big McCulloch back in, it was, again, a new defensive line-up who were to have an uncomfortable afternoon. And it was the away team, especially Craig Conway, the winger who would cause us problems all afternoon, who started brightly, forcing a corner in the second minute. And while that came to nothing, it was the beginning of a nightmare for the Thistle defence. Grant Murray, somewhat confused by the rugby pitch markings, attempted to take a throw in form about a foot inside the line, much to the hilarity of the crowd and most of players. But he wasn’t the only Thistle player to forget his lines this afternoon. Having said that, after only three minutes, Mark Roberts won a free-kick out on the right which was floated in by Scott McCulloch, meeting a completely free Billy Gibson who should have done better than to head it over. The shape of things to come? Well, not really. In ten minutes we had witnessed a couple of factors which were to shape the game. Conway, a continuous threat on the left, pressured the Billy Gibson into fouling him just outside the area and, while Ayr spoiled it by playing it too early, the writing was on the wall. Soon after another McCulloch cross was touched on by Roberts and the ball just eluded Billy Gibson, who had started the game well. Ayr rushed straight up the park and intricate passing found Vareille turning Boyd well and the Thistle centre back pulled him down just outside the box. Again the free kick came to nothing. While Ayr were beginning to see more of the possession it was the home side who would break the deadlock after eighteen minutes. As the defence were under pressure again the ball broke for Jimmy Gibson who placed a perfect long ball into the path of the on-running Roberts. He wrong-footed a defender before beating the keeper and coolly blasting the ball home into the far corner. Not especially deserved but a tangible sigh of relief was heard from the home fans. But if we were expecting to see a more relaxed Thistle after that we were very much mistaken. Conway and Raymond Logan of Ayr seemed to be involved in much of the play and poor defending again could have allowed them in in the half hour if they had been more clinical in their finishing. Thistle tried to make a game of it and Big Scott McCulloch was at the heart of much of their play just before the break. A superb daisy cutter pass found McConolgue on the turn but he shot weakly. Another ‘Boab’ free kick from the left this time ricocheted around the box before finding Christian Dailly lookalike, Sandy Hodge whose first time half volley seemed at first to hit off an Ayr hand. No penalty. Soon after good Strachan play put Billy Gibson down the left in acres of space. A quality cross found Roberts whose low shot was well saved. The half seemed to be ending with Thistle in the ascendancy until some excellent work in the Ayr midfield put Vareille through, he beat Boyd on the edge of the box only to skim the bar with his shot when it seemed a certainty that he would score. An ominous ending to the first half. Unusually there were no subs out warming up as is normal, perhaps a little too cold even for them. We were treated to a highly entertaining penalty shoot out from some youngsters but as the tannoy system was rotten today I’ve no idea who they were or why they were there. The wee lad who won it took some great penalties though. As the second half got under way, it was Thistle who went further ahead through a well taken Billy Gibson goal. Another McCulloch free kick on the right bounced around the box, deflecting off Boyd and McConalogue before coming out to Gibson about 20 odd yards out. He did superbly well to keep the ball down and fire it past McGeown. 2-0 up, surely Thistle were on their way to two vital points. Unfortunately that was to be the last positive thing that they would do all afternoon. Soon after, Conway began running at the defence, giving Murray a torrid time, and a goal seemed inevitable. After 55 minutes, Ayr sliced through the right hand side of the Thistle team and some dreadful defending found McKinstrey free in the area. His ludicrously simple pass across goal somehow managed to reach Chris Robertson who was surprised as anyone to be able to tap it over the line. From then on Ayr looked the team most likely to score and even looked like the only team who wanted to play. The goal gave them confidence and they piled on the pressure playing some good football in the process as the home fans were beginning to get restless. That pressure appeared to have paid off after 67 minutes when Jimmy Gibson gave away a foul on the right. MacAnespie’s cross was headed back across goal and looked to be heading in at the far post, with Vareille nodding home on the line to make sure. Fortunately for Thistle he was in an off side position and the goal was chalked off. Much to the consternation of one Ayr fans who kicked and broke a seat in the away stand and was dragged off by a policeman. And, as it was the first day of the Smoking ban, it was to be the only drag we’d see all day… Ayr were all over Thistle now and more weak defending saw McCulloch dispossessed by Logan whose run on goal and shot was well saved by Kenny Arthur. Kilgannon came on for Strachan but would do next to nothing to change the face of the game. After 74 minutes a bizarre piece of defending by Hodge saw him push his opponent over on the edge of the box when it seemed easier for him to play the ball. And while the kick was sent well over Hodge was booked and immediately replaced by a furious Dick Campbell who sent on Snowden. An Ayr equalizer was inevitable at this point and came after 77 minutes courtesy of the best player on the park, Craig Conway. He received the ball on the left some way out but was allowed to waltz down the wing, turn Snowden with embarrassing ease and fire the ball into the far corner. The Ayr fans were delirious but it was no more than they deserved. Ritchie replaced McConologue but like his fellow subs had absolutely no impact and the game petered out, more to the relief of Thistle than Ayr, who could have easily gone on to win the game and deservedly so. A shambolic performance from Thistle, especially in the second half. With Peterhead winning today, looking at our run in, a play off position is at best precarious and at worst, a pipe dream. Man of the match:
STATS Attendance: 2347
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