Elliott hopes his late winner to end a three-year drought will spark more goals

PARTICK THISTLE

Elliott 87

STRANRAER

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Christie Elliott was thrilled to end a three-year drought to shoot Partick Thistle into the last 16 of the Betfred Cup.

The 26-year-old wing back could not believe it was November 8, 2014 when he last found the net. But he’s glad he rediscovered his goal touch at the vital moment, beating Blair Currie three minutes from time to take Thistle through.

Elliott said: “I hope it’s not another three years before I get my next one – next Saturday would be nice!

“The manager said that the goal was a long time coming.

“I get my share of opportunities and I should score a lot more, but I’m glad I managed it and we deserved the win.

“It was a hard game and we

0 Christie Elliott: Opportunity found it difficult to break them down,but a win is a win at the end of the day.

“I suppose I couldn’t have picked a better time to score and I really hope it will be a spark for me to score a few more this season.

“We didn’t panic. We kept playing and playing, trying to find a way to break them down and I was always sure we would find a way.

“I always felt one opportunity would come our way and thankfully it did.”

The way things transpired, had Partick been held to a goalless draw and then won the penalty shoot-out they would still have qualified.

However, having been woeful from 12 yards in their group opener against Livingston they didn’t wish to take that risk.

Elliott admitted: “We didn’t want to go to pens after the last time! We were happy to stay well away from that.”

Thistle’s inability to put Stranraer to the sword early meant that manager Alan Archibald couldn’t introduce Niall Keown for his first taste of the action.

That was a frustration as he wanted to give the defender game time before next Satur- day’s tough Premiership opener against Hibs.

Archibald said: “The plan was if it was comfortable we could get Niall on, but it didn’t work out that way because we had to get attacking players on so that was a disappointment.

“We wanted to get him some game time as he is just about back to full fitness but unfortunately it didn’t work out that way.”

It was a fourth consecutive group defeat for Stranraer who were one of three teams to finish with zero points.