Airdrie United Reserves 1, Partick Thistle Reserves 2
Tuesday 6th January 2009
The Thistle reserve side were in action this afternoon in a Reserve League Cup fixture with Airdrie United at Lesser Hampden and we are delighted to report that Thistle ran out 2-1 winners on a tricky Lesser Hampden surface.
Thistle included two trialists in the starting line-up but barely 10 minutes had elapsed when the trialist defender was forced to come off injured and was replaced by under 19 player Ross McGeough.
Thistle took the lead virtually right on half-time when a highly impressive Ryan MacBeth netted.
Thistle held that lead until the 62nd minute when Airdrie United restored equality but Thistle weren't to be denied full points. Ross McGeough smashing home what proved to be the winner late on.
Airdrie United though did miss a perfect chance to earn a point but Craig Hinchcliffe was the hero of the afternoon saving a penalty almost right on the final whistle.
Team: Hinchcliffe, Trialist (McGeough), Ardalany, Little, Kinniburgh (Tully), M Robertson, Turner, McStay, Lennon, Trialist (Middlemiss), MacBeth
That win leaves Thistle handily placed to finish in the top two of the West section of the Reserve League Cup and qualify for the semi-finals.
Queen's Park currently top the section with 13 points from 7 games but this afternoon's victory puts Thistle hard on the heels of Queen's Park with 10 points from two fewer games played. Clyde and Stenhousemuir are a further point behind with 9 points from six and seven games played respectively.
