Caldwell lashes out at Dallas as nine-man Thistle crash to Ayr
GARY CALDWELL blasted referee Andrew Dallas for taking nine-man Partick Thistle’s match against Ayr United ‘out of their hands’ as the Jags crashed to the bottom of the Championship.
For the third game in a row, Thistle led at half-time — thanks to goals from Stuart Bannigan and Shea Gordon either side of Luke McCowan’s equaliser.
But when the Jags midfield pair were both shown straight red cards, a first league win of the season for the hosts looked unlikely.
It proved to be the case as Kris Doolan marked his return to Firhill, following his controversial summer exit, with a goal before Stephen Kelly curled home the winner with 12 minutes remaining.
‘I have to be very careful with what I say but it’s like a race to get a red card out — that’s my biggest frustration,’ said Jags boss Caldwell. ‘Refs can make wrong decisions, I accept that, but it’s the speed that the red card comes out. It’s like they’re desperate to do it instead of giving themselves thinking time. It was taken out of our hands today.’
Ayr fell behind after 14 minutes when Dallas pointed to the spot after Mark Kerr brought down Thistle new boy Dario Zanatta. Bannigan converted the penalty by sending Ross Doohan the wrong way.
Ayr didn’t take long to respond as another Jags debutant Ben Hall made an error. The defender’s poor header back to Jamie Sneddon was latched on to by McCowan, who lifted the ball over the keeper.
Thistle restored their lead two minutes before the break when Zanatta zigzagged past three Ayr players before slipping the ball to Alex Jones, who fired a cross into the middle of the box where Gordon was lurking to convert.
But Gordon went from hero to zero within 60 seconds as Dallas produced a straight red card for a challenge on McCowan, which Thistle passionately protested.
Bannigan received his marching orders in the 65th minute for a rash tackle on Kelly. The midfielder didn’t even argue his case as he knew it was the correct decision.
Doolan, who scored 121 goals in his 10 years with Thistle, levelled for Ayr in the 72nd minute when he pounced from six yards after Daniel Harvie’s shot hit the woodwork.
Kelly then produced another moment of magic, after his winner against Queen of the South last weekend, as he bent the ball round Sneddon from 20 yards out.
‘We are in a better position than I thought we’d be,’ said Ayr boss Ian McCall. ‘It’s three great points.’