MATCH STATS

Former Ayr United manager Ian Mccall made sure his Partick Thistle side spoiled Jim Duffy’s first official game in charge of the Somerset Park club with an easy 4-0 Firhill success.

Goals from Zak Rudden, Cammy Smith and Brian Graham as well as an own-goal from Sean Mcginty saw the Maryhill men prevail.

After the game, a delighted Mccall said: “We were worthy of our two-goal lead at the break and then we were excellent in the second half as well.

“The win was built on the performance of Ross Docherty and

Stuart Bannigan, who were great in midfield, but it was a good display overall.”

The Jags looked keen to strike early and Smith’s swinging cross on only three minutes was met by Kevin Holt. However, his header flashed wide.

Ayr quickly responded with a turn and shot from Tomi Adeloye that only just cleared Jamie Sneddon’s crossbar.

Thistle soon built up a head of steam and made their breakthrough on 34 minutes when Rudden dived to meet a Scott Tiffoney cross and sent a header flying past Charlie Albinson from eight yards.

It was 2-0 right on half-time when Graham retrieved a Markus Fjortoft header and chipped the ball into the six-yard box where former Honest Man Smith nodded in.

Ten minutes into the second half Tiffoney came close to smashing in a third from 18 yards but Albinson leapt to his left to push the ball past.

A long, looping cross from visiting substitute James Maxwell picked out Nick Mcallister midway through the second half and his header was deflected into Sneddon’s grateful hands.

Thistle’s win was secured with 18 minutes still on the clock when Tiffoney’s free-kick was turned into his own net by Mcginty who was under some pressure from Rudden.

Graham topped Partick Thistle’s display off five minutes from time when he raced across the 18-yard line before curling home to leave Duffy – who had a successful stint as caretaker boss of the Somerset Park club before being appointed as manager on Friday – saying: “Compared to how we have played recently, we were very poor.

“We were flat after the first goal and the second goal, right on halftime gave us a mountain to climb – and we never looked like doing IT.”FOOTBALLCLUB