AYR RAIDERS United strike pair put Jags on the brink

MICHAEL MOFFAT and Lawrence Shankland were on target to clinch Group E for Ayr and leave Partick Thistle sweating on the outcome of today’s clash between Hearts and Inverness Caley Thistle.

The Honest Men displayed a cutting edge that eluded their Championship rivals and manager Ian McCall, a former Jags boss, said: ‘Some of our football was excellent. We didn’t have a lot of possession but certainly they didn’t have as many chances as us.’

Thistle won three corners in the first five minute but Ayr stunned the Firhill side with a goal they’ll want to forget.

Home defender Christie Elliott made a hash of an attempted clearance and Moffat profited by sticking the ball in the net.

Thistle had their moments up front but a much more incisive visiting attack almost doubled the lead when Shankland rippled the outside of the net and then a one-handed save by Cammy Bell denied Moffat.

Bell made another great save to deny Moffat on the stroke of half-time before Thistle went forward after the restart.

However, the visitors’ defence sucked the pressure up before sealing victory with a brilliant Shankland goal.

The in-form striker pounced on a loose ball around 40 yards out before lofting a first-time effort that Bell could only watch as it looped over his head and into the net.

McCall added: ‘I was having a go at Lawrence. He had missed two or three really good chances — and then he does that.

‘I thought that every time we had good possession and we got it in the forward areas we looked a real threat.

‘We moved it really quickly and if we get the ball into the last third of the park we have players that can cut teams open. ‘It was a great victory.’ Thistle counterpart Alan Archibald said: ‘We started really well with a good tempo but then it was ridiculous how we lost a goal and it killed our momentum.

‘Christie was caught in five minds! He had an eternity to clear and it was a moment of madness. I thought we’d be waiting on Sunday’s result if we lost today.’