Match Report
With Thistle striving to reach the last four of the Challenge Cup for the very first time Ian McCall made three changes from the side that had lost at home to Ross County. Jonny Tuffey was away on international duty with Northern Ireland as was Steven Lennon with the Scotland under 21 squad. Meantime John Robertson was suspended following his red card against Ross County. In their places came in goalkeeper Craig Hinchcliffe, getting only his second start of the season, Willie Kinniburgh and Damon Gray. On the bench Mark Roberts, Ricky Little and Kevin McKinlay were joined by new boy Chris Turner and Scott Murray, signed on an amateur contract to provide goalkeeping cover for Craig Hinchcliffe.
Despite the pouring rain a large number of Thistle fans made it through to the game and they made themselves heard even though three sides of the ground remained closed to the public.
Thistle perhaps made marginally the better start but the game's first shot on target came the way of the home side. Awarded a free kick 25 yards from the Thistle goal Livi's Anthony McParland tested Craig Hinchcliffe with a low shot but the Thistle keeper was able to get his body behind the ball and complete a comfortable save.
In the 15th a promising Thistle move involving Simon Donnelly, Gary Harkins and Damon Gray was halted when Marc Twaddle pushing forward on the left strayed offside.
Twaddle got forward again in Thistle's next attack and his cross was headed over by Damon Gray.
Twaddle again had joy down the Livi right in the 18th minute and Livi were happy to able to scramble his cross away for a corner kick.
As the game really started to open up Thistle were nearly punished for a misdirected clearance from Craig Hinchcliffe but McParland's effort from distance was always drifting wide of target.
David Rowson is still looking for the first goal of his second spell at Firhill and when the ball dropped to him at the edge of the Livingston box in the 27th minute he had half a chance to break his duck but his effort was wide of target.
Rowson again came close to that elusive goal when in the 31st minute he was only inches away from connecting with a Simon Donnelly cross.
In the 33rd minute Ian Maxwell had to be sharp to block a Liam Fox shot. The corner that followed was never cleared with Jean Cuenca seeing an effort from inside the Thistle six yard box deflected wide of goal for another corner. That was the closest that either team would come to a goal in what had been an entertaining but goalless first 45 minutes.
Thistle had the better of the early exchanges in the second half but in the 58th minute Craig Hinchcliffe had to be sharp off his line to grab hold of a Murray Davidson header before Jean Cuenca was able to get on the end of it.
Hinchcliffe again had to look lively in the 61st minute as Livi broke with pace. The dangerous McParland sent over a cross from the right and with Roco Quinn looking to latch onto the cross Hinchcliffe was able to make a timely interception.
In the 62nd minute Thistle made use of their substitutes for the first time with Mark Roberts replacing Simon Donnelly.
Thistle were inches away from taking the lead in the 66th minute. Paul Paton collected a cross field pass in space on the right hand side and his perfectly delivered cross was met by the head of Scott Chaplain who saw his header go no more than an inch the wrong side of the post.
At the other end Liam Fox, who scored the winner the last time the two teams met, was himself just inches away from giving Livingston the lead with a fierce shot from 20 yards out.
Play swiftly moved to the other end and another cross from Paul Paton picked out Marc Twaddle's late run into the Livi box but Twaddle's final effort lacked control and went over the bar.
Before the game could restart Thistle fans were given their first glimpse of Chris Turner when he came on for Sco
tt Chaplain. The Thistle new boy occupying a position in the centre of the Thistle midfield.
In the 76th minute Thistle went in front. Mark Roberts slipped the ball through to Chris Turner who took a touch to steady himself before rolling the ball past McKenzie and into the net. Not a bad way to introduce himself to the Thistle fans.
Thistle made their final change a short time later when Kevin McKinlay was sent on for Damon Gray.
Two minutes after taking the lead Thistle doubled their advantage. Mark Roberts swung in a cross from the right hand side and when McKenzie was unable to grab the ball Marc Twaddle nodded home from close range.
A frantic finish from Livingston didn't come anywhere near to producing a Livingston goal and Thistle, much to the delight of the travelling support, were through to their first ever Challenge Cup Semi-Final.
