Match Report
For the opening league game of season 2009/2010 Ian McCall was denied the opportunity of fielding Liam Buchanan whose thigh injury prevented him playing. Alan Archibald and Willie Kinniburgh, as expected, were also confined to the sidelines for this fixture. Making league debuts for Thistle were Martyn Corrigan, Jim Hamilton, starting a competitive Thistle fixture for the very first time, and Mark Corcoran. Ayr meantime included in their starting eleven former Thistle players Billy Gibson and Mark Roberts.
After just five minutes of the game Thistle found themselves trailing. Jonny Tuffey came a long way from his goal to clear the ball but could only find Mark Roberts with his clearance. With the Thistle goal unguarded Roberts was able to find the net from 40 yards out and on the touchline.
Thistle response was to nearly find an equaliser two minutes later. A Corcoran cut back found its' way to Paul Cairney but his shot was just too straight to truly trouble Grindlay in the home goal.
Ayr were producing the more confident football at this point and in the 13th minute after Thistle failed to clear a corner properly Kevin James was able to get his head to the ball only to see the ball slip past Tuffey's left hand post.
In the 18th minute it was very nearly 2-0. Mark Roberts clearly enjoying himself against his former club played a great through ball to Ryan Stevenson who was only denied a goal by a fine save from Jonny Tuffey who did well to turn the ball round the post for a corner. When that corner was only partially cleared there was further anxiety when a shot from the corner of the box flashed past the far post.
Two minutes later though and Thistle were level despite having posed very little of a threat. Mark Corcoran did the spadework for this goal evading some challenges in the box before pulling the ball back for Simon Donnelly who couldn't miss from 6 yards out and didn't lifting the ball high into the Ayr net.
Mark Roberts was proving that were is still plenty of life left in his old legs and in the 36th minute he wasn't too far away from restoring Ayr's lead as he tried to curl a shot past Jonny Tuffey from the edge of the box but his shot was just too high.
At the other end Paul Paton was able to pick out Jim Hamilton with a cross but the Thistle striker found the angle just a little too tight and could only find the side net with his hooked effort towards goal.
In the 42nd minute Paton was again able to find Hamilton with a good ball into the box but Hamilton was unable to direct his header on target. The furious reaction from Hamilton clearly suggesting that he felt that he had been fouled in the act of heading the ball.
Referee Muir brought the first half to a close a short time later. After struggling in the opening quarter Thistle were the stronger side as half-time approached.
Thistle started the second half in confident fashion. A promising move right from the kick-off was only halted by a raised flag after Corcoran collected a Rowson pass and twice in quick succession Thistle won corner kicks as they started to move the ball well through the midfield areas.
While Thistle had been the better side in the opening 15 minutes of the second half it was Ayr that came close to edging ahead on the hour mark. Mark Robertts showed great close control in the box in the box before smacking a shot off the post.
A minute later it was John Robertson rather than the post that Thistle had to thank for keeping the score at 1-1. Ayr sub Kevin Cawley was left with just Tuffey to beat only for Robertson to deny him even a shot at goal with a perfectly timed tackle.
In the 63rd minute Thistle made their first change of the game with Chris Erskine coming on for Mark Corcoran.
Five minutes later it was the turn of Bryan Hodge to be introduced to the action when he replaced Paul Cairney.
The third and fina l change was made in the 73rd minute with Kris Doolan coming on in place of Jim Hamilton.
It was Ayr that had the scent of victory about them and twice in amatter of seconds Thistle have to frantically clear the ball from close to their goal before Chris Aitken can't keep his shot from the edge of the box low enough to trouble Tuffey.
Thistle though were still a threat and in the 77th minute a Simon Donnelly free kick just lacked a little accuracy as Grindlay watched the ball go just wide of target.
With the game entering the last ten minutes David Rowson had a great chance to give Thistle what might have been a decisive lead but Grindlay was off his line quickly to make an excellent smothering save with Thistle's only reward a corner kick.
There was little doubt that both teams were desperate to win this game and with 6 minutes remaining Stephen McKeown won the ball in midfield. McKeown in turn picked out Kris Doolan with Doolan electing to ignore Simon Donnelly and try for goal himself. Grindelay, however, was able to complete a save.
McKeown himself had the next chance of Thistle. The impressive Simon Donnelly picked out McKeown's run into the box but his McKeown wasted the opportunity shooting high over the bar. Donnelly then saw his rather tame effort easily saved by the Ayr keeper.
