Ayr United 0
Partick Thistle 4
League (Championship)


Ayr United
0 - 4
Partick Thistle 

League (Championship)
Friday, September 15th, 2023
Somerset Park
Attendance: 2,078

Goalscorers
None. Graham (2'minutes),
Lawless (58'minutes, 67'minutes),
Adeloye (81'minutes)

Team Managers
Lee Bullen
Kris Doolan

Starting Eleven
1. Charlie Albinson
3. Patrick Reading
20. Roy Syla
5. Sean McGinty
14. George Stanger
22. Mark McKenzie
17. Nick McAllister
15. Jamie Murphy
46. Jack Young
9. Ahkeem Rose
11. Logan Chalmers
1 Sneddon
2 McMillan
5 Muirhead
6 Neilson
12 Ngwenya
8 Bannigan
26 Stanway
11 Lawless
7 McInroy
21 Fitzpatrick
9 Graham

Bench
31. Robbie Mutch
4. Frankie Musonda
38. Elicha Ahui
21. Finn Ecrepont
23. Jack Senga
24. Scott Tomlinson
30. Fraser Bryden
18. Paul Smith
17. Franny Amartey
4 Williams
17 Robinson
22 Williamson
23 Alston
25 McDonald
29 Mackenzie
31 Mitchell
34 Diack
99 Adeloye

Substitutions
Fraser Bryden for Ahkeem Rose (66)
Paul Smith for Roy Syla (79)
Franny Amartey for Mark McKenzie (79)
Jack Senga for Logan Chalmers (90)
Scott Tomlinson for Jack Young (90)
2 McMillan Substituted for Mackenzieat 40'minutes
26 Stanway Substituted for Alstonat 80'minutes
7 McInroy Substituted for Robinsonat 69'minutes
9 Graham Substituted for Adeloyeat 80'minutes

Cautions
Nick McAllister
Patrick Reading
Roy Syla
Muirhead

Red Cards
None. None.
Match Officials

William Collum (Referee)


Photography by SNS Group

Match Report


Brian Graham says his opening goal in Partick Thistle's emphatic Scottish Championship win over Ayr United kept a promise to his son after his mother in law passed away on Sunday.

The striker slotted the opener after only 73 seconds before two goals from Steven Lawless and another from former Ayr striker Tomi Adeloye put Thistle level on points at the top of the Scottish Championship.

"It's been a tough week in the Graham family household," an emotional Graham told BBC Scotland.

"We lost my mother in law in the early hours of Sunday morning and my young son, eight-year-old wee Daniel, said go score a goal for my granny tonight, so that's for wee Rose.

"I've just read a text message in the changing room and I believe he scored in his game tonight too. Those were his words to me - you score and I'll score daddy."

Graham thought he ought to have had a hat-trick as Thistle kept up their remarkable scoring streak against Ayr, who have now suffered five consecutive defeats.

The Glasgow side have now scored 11 goals in three straight wins over Ayr, although they had goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon to thank for making sure they have also done so without conceding.

After Graham's opener, Sneddon denied Mark McKenzie, Ahkeem Rose and Roy Syla before midfielder Lawless added two thumping long-rangers after the break and substitute Adeloye slotted the fourth.

A third consecutive win at Somerset Park means Thistle join Dundee United and Raith Rovers, who play on Saturday, at the top of the table.

Ayr remain second bottom and have now lost three in a row overall at home without scoring.

Ayr United head coach Lee Bullen: "I thought in the first half that we were well in the game. When we lose the second goal, we just had a mad 20/25 minutes where we just didn't do enough.

"We've just got to hold our hands up. We've got to do better defensively."

Partick Thistle manager Kris Doolan: "We had to defend for large parts of the first half, but we started brightly.

"Our goalkeeper was called upon and came up with some good saves. To come here and score four, this is a difficult place to come to, so we're absolutely delighted."

Match report written by BBC



Squad Statistics (as at September 15th, 2023)


2023-24 All Time
Age
Charlie Albinson (GK)26 7 - 58 -
Sean McGinty30 11 - 884
Roy Syla23 3 - 3 -
Patrick Reading24 10 - 1213
George Stanger23 101101
Jack Young - 4 - 4 -
Jamie Murphy34 6161
Nick McAllister22 91552
Mark McKenzie23 11112510
Logan Chalmers23 4 - 153
Ahkeem Rose24 9292
Scott Tomlinson (sub)18 5 - 6 -
Jack Senga (sub) - 2 - 2 -
Fraser Bryden (sub)19 113436
Paul Smith (sub)21 8 - 41 -
Franny Amartey (sub)24 111111






League Table (as at September 15th, 2023)


Pld W D L Pts
1. Dundee United 4 3 1 0 10
2. Partick Thistle 5 3 1 1 10
3. Raith Rovers 4 3 1 0 10
4. Queen's Park 5 3 0 2 9
5. Arbroath 5 2 0 3 6
6. Airdrieonians 4 2 0 2 6
7. Dunfermline Athletic 4 1 2 1 5
8. Morton 4 1 0 3 3
9. Ayr United 5 1 0 4 3
10. ICT 4 0 1 3 1