SHANKS FOR LISTENING UP
Lawrence answers McCall’s nagging with wonder goal
Partick Thistle ........ 0 Ayr United ............... 2 Lindsay Herron Ayr hotshot Lawrence Shankland silenced boss Ian McCall with what will surely be a candidate for goal of the season.
McCall had been having a go at his star striker for missing a couple of chances,
Then Shanks produced a stunning 40-yard finish to seal a deserved win for Ayr, who will now be seeded in today’s last-16 draw as one of the best group winners.
Spotting Cammy Bell off his line in 66 minutes, he fired a perfect shot over the keeper’s head.
McCall said: “I had a go at him because he missed a few chances – then he goes and does that. Lawrence is a special player.
“We played really well. Some of our football was excellent.
“I thought every time we had good possession of the ball and got it into forward areas we looked a real threat.
“If we get the ball into the last third we have players who can cut teams apart. It was a great victory.
“The result doesn’t alter the fact Partick Thistle will still be up there this season, I don’t doubt that so it won’t have any relevance when we play next week.
“We’ll take who we get in the next round and try to play well.
“We must lose this ‘plucky wee Ayr thing’ whenever we get into the Championship because we feel we have good players who are a match for most teams.”
Bizarre defending by Christie Elliott allowed Ayr to take the lead in six minutes and left boss- Alan Archibald raging. He delayed clearing the ball as he ran towards his own goal , then saw his attempted pass cannon off Shankland for Michael Moffat ato fire home.
Ayr squandered chances with Moffat and Shankland both guilty.
Thistle were toothless although Shea Gordon might have drawn them level nine minutes before half-time – but he shot too close to Ross Doohan.
Sean McGinty missed with a back post header early in the second half but that was the strength of Thistle’s threat until the dying moments when Miles Storey missed with a header.
Ayr knew a second goal would seal it and Shankland delivered.
Thistle must rely on Hearts not beating Inverness today to go through as one of the best second-placed teams.
Archibald said: “I thought we started the game really well.
“The manner in which we lost the first goal was quite ridiculous and it killed us really.
“Christie was caught in about five minds. He took an eternity to clear the ball.
“It was a moment of madness and it killed our momentum.
“That allowed Ayr to follow their game plan.
“They were rigid in their shape and as we were pushing forward they tried to pick us off on the counter-attack”