Aanxious wait for Jags to secure their safety
partick thistle 1 AYR United 2
Partick Thistle must wait until the final day of the season for another opportunity to secure their Championship safety after blowing their first chance yesterday.
They were on course after going ahead early but Ayr fought back to gain revenge for their midweek defeat to the Jags.
Now Gary Caldwell’s men face an anxious last-day trip to face Queen of the South and the angry Firhill boss snapped: “We played well for the opening stages, excellent for 15 minutes, but after that, we chose not to play.
“We chose not to run and we chose to play the way we did. I don’t have words to describe why that happened but we have a week to learn from it.
“It’s going to be a very difficult game on the last day of the season, I’ve been involved in one like it as a player.
“We’ll regroup come Monday but I said to the players that they’ve just thrown a massive opportunity away.”
The game started at a high tempo with chances at both ends but it was Thistle who opened the scoring when Miles Storey knocked a long ball down to Joe Cardle, who flighted in a delicious cross for Shea Gordon to nod in his second goal against Ayr this week following his midweek effort at Somerset Park.
Cardle and Storey were to link up again on 17 minutes, but the front man, who came in to replace Scott Mcdonald for the day, could only hit the side-netting after finding room inside the box.
Ayr levelled things after great work from midfielder Andy Murdoch.
The 24 year-old danced down the left partick th:
(4-2-3-1) Sneddon 7; Elliot 7, Anderson 8, Mcginty 6, Penrice 7; Bannigan 5, Harkins 5 (Fitzpatrick 60, 5); Spittal 6, Gordon 6, Cardle 7 (Doolan 60, 6); Storey 6 (Mansell 69, 5). Subs not used - Hazard, Slater, Mcmillan, Saunders.
AYR UTD:
Ayr (4-4-2) Doohan 8; Smith 8, Rose 7, Muirhead 7, Harvie 7; Geggann 6 (Kerr 87, 5), Murdoch 7 Crawford 7, Mcdaid 8; Mccowan 7 (Miller 75, 5), Moffat 7. Subs not used – HareReid, Forrest, Ercepont.
and teased a low ball across the box, which was duly knocked in by right-back Liam Smith.
Teenager Luke Mccowan, handed his first league start by United boss Ian Mccall, broke free from the Thistle defence on 40 minutes, but his shot was blocked by Steven Anderson who raced back to the rescue.
Ayr looked the better side following the interval and took the lead when Declan
Mcdaid’s fine corner was met on 12 yards by former Thistle defender Aaron Muirhead, who lashed a volley into the top right-hand corner.
Thistle made three changes in quick succession after the hour and striker Kris Doolan, who was recognised pre-match for his 400th appearance, had a chance to level with 15 minutes left but his curled effort was saved by the impressive Ross Doohan.