Partick Thistle 2
Ayr United 1
League (Championship)

Match Report

Partick Thistle bagged a valuable three points this afternoon as goals from Logan Chalmers and Alex Samuel saw off Ayr United despite a second half goal from Curtis Main ensuring a tense conclusion.

Mark Wilson’s side took on the Honest Men for the fourth time this season having won twice and drawn once in three previous clashes.

Oisin Smyth came back into the starting line-up after returning to the club on loan on Thursday while Luke McBeth was also recalled to the first XI with Ts’oanelo Lets’osa missing due to a knock and Aidan Fitzpatrick moving to the bench.

Logan Chalmers scored in the 11th minute to put Thistle one up. A beautiful ball was played in by Paddy Reading; Chalmers raced onto it and slotted the ball into the back of the net. This opener took the winger to 10 for the season, making it his best scoring season in senior football.

Two minutes later Thistle scored again. Luke McBeth crossed the ball into the Ayr box where Alex Samuel was able to help it into the far corner off the inside of the post for his second goal in three games.

Thistle could have been further in front too when they were awarded a penalty in the 16th minute for a foul on Alex Samuel, however, Logan Chalmers saw his spot kick saved by the feet of Liam Russell as he tried to go down the middle.

Ayr’s first chance of the match came from skipper Ben Dempsey who saw his shot from just outside the Jags’ box deflected wide of the target.

Some neat build-up play on the Thistle left resulted in the ball rolling into space at the edge of the box where Tony Watt and Oisin Smyth were both sizing up a shot. It was the former who got there first and his left-footed effort curled high and wide.

In the 39th minute following a Logan Chalmers corner, Smyth got his chance to shoot when the ball fell to him 25 yards out. He took a good first touch but sent the subsequent volley narrowly wide of the right-hand post.

Ayr’s best chance of the opening period came when a Scott McMann cross found Anton Dowds at the back post, but the ex-Jags striker could only send his stooping header into the side netting.

Half-Time – Partick Thistle 2 Ayr United 0

The second half begun with Anton Dowds trying his luck from way outside the box. His shot was held comfortably by Josh Clarke.

Another former Thistle man Kevin Holt came close shortly thereafter when he got on the end of a free-kick into the hosts’ box but his attempt was cleared over the bar by a scrambling Lee Ashcroft.

Approaching the hour mark, Ben Stanway threatened another home league goal against Ayr when his attempted cross nearly caught Liam Russell out at the back post, however, the visiting ‘stopper was able to claw it away for a corner.

The away side found a route back into the match at the hour mark when a Marco Rus cross found Curtis Main who laid it off to the right wing-back George Finney. His shot was well-blocked by Dan O’Reilly but it fell to Main who rocketed a shot high into the net.

Former Aberdeen forward Main was on the attack again when he latched onto a ball bouncing in behind the Jags’ defence. His run took him to an awkward angle but he was still able to force a save out of Josh Clarke at the near post, albeit the officials awarded a goal kick.

The Maryhill Men should have wrapped the game up with 12 minutes to play but a combination of saves and blocks denied Robbie Crawford and Alex Samuel in the Ayr goalmouth.

At the other end, there was an opportunity for the travelling Honest Men to take a point back to Somerset Park when second half substitute George Oakley stole a yard behind the home defence. He tried to fire it past Josh Clarke on his left side but the on-loan Celtic ‘keeper was down sharply to deny him.

Ultimately Thistle would hold out to take the points and Ayr’s frustrations were epitomised by the red card that manager Scott Brown received for two separate instances of apparent dissent

Match report written by PTFC