We were much better than United, says McCall

Dundee United

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IAN McCALL insists his Partick Thistle side were the better team as the Jags bowed out of the Scottish Cup at the fifth round, courtesy of a 1-0 defeat at home to Dundee United.

The Championship side impressed against their top-flight opponents as they controlled possession and created a litany of decent opportunities but failed to take them. United, by contrast, mustered a solitary attempt on goal but it was a strike worthy of winning any game.

A neat move down the’ right saw the ball played into the box, where a Thistle leg was waiting to cut out the pass. Instead, the ball rolled invitingly into the path of Ian Harkes, who needed no second invitation as the American slammed the ball home first time from the edge of the area on 35 minutes.

Thistle didn’t allow their heads to drop though as they heaped pressure on Tam

Courts’ side. Scott Tiffoney, in particular, was electric as he tormented the United defence time after time but without producing the end product as his side searched desperately for that all-important equaliser. It would never arrive but McCall saw plenty of positives to draw from the performance.

“We were miles better than Dundee United,” said the Thistle manager. “The pitch is hard, I get that. But we played a lot of football. Our midfield was so dominant. We didn’t make so many chances in the first half but the goal, which was a great strike from Harkes, came against the run of play.

“Then the second half we just battered them. But ultimately it’s a Cup tie and you just want to win, so good luck to Dundee United in the quarter-final.”

Courts admits that the state of the pitch meant his team had to adjust their tactics but the United head coach was simply relieved to make it through to the last eight. He said: “The first 45 we got caught in between – can we play or not on this surface? But we got the breakthrough, and saw the job through.”