Queen’s Park 2 Partick Thistle 2 (7-6 pens)

It was a St Andrew’s Day to remember for supporters of Queen’s Park as the Spiders edged out Partick Thistle in a thrilling third round Scottish Gas Scottish Cup tie at the National Stadium, with Queen’s winning 7-6 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

Queen’s Park Head Coach Callum Davidson made no less than four changes from last Friday’s disappointing defeat at home to Falkirk. Scott, Murray, Welsh, and Drozd all missed out, replaced by Longridge, MacGregor, Fieldson, and Duncan.

The first chance of the match came in the opening two minutes, a ricochet fell kindly to Scott Robinson who put the ball in the back of the net, but the linesman’s flag was up for offside, an early let off for the Spiders.

The game’s opening goal was scored in 12 minutes as Thistle got the ball wide before the ball was half-cleared. Brian Graham then did well to deliver a knockdown in the box for Robbie Crawford to run on to and finish beyond Ferrie.

The away side continued to rampage down the wide areas, as Chalmers left Duncan for dust, but his cross was blocked. The resulting corner was swung in for Scott Robinson to flick on to Graham, but the Thistle captain headed over the bar.

Partick Thistle continued to dominate early possession and pushed hard for a second goal. On 25 minutes, Milne had a scuffed effort at goal that was only cleared as far as Fitzpatrick. His powerful drive was parried by Ferrie who was kept busy as Chalmers was on hand for another goal attempt, but the Spider’s keeper was there to make a brilliant save and keep the score unchanged.

The Thistle captain continued to pose a threat, as his knockdown led to a through ball, that he himself latched onto. His curling effort looked destined for the top right corner, but the outstretched glove of Ferrie denied him.

No doubt Cal Ferrie had kept Queen’s in the game in the early stages, and it paid off when, against the run of play, the Spiders broke down the left with Rudden’s ball across the 6-yard line, finding wingback Louis Longridge who put the ball past Roberts to level the game on 34 minutes.
The Spiders looked to finish the half strongly, as a spell of consistent possession earned the home side a corner, which Ryan Duncan took short, and it seemed to fool everyone in the visitor’s defence. Although the ball was cleared back out to Duncan, he then put a cross right onto the head of Roddy MacGregor who headed the Spiders in front on 42 minutes.

Into stoppage time in the first half, and the away side looked to draw level as Milne broke into the box. His ball across found Robinson who fired at goal. The ball seemed to break behind Ferrie, there was a bit of a stramash, but it was the Queen’s goalie who got his hand to the ball and clawed away to keep Queen’s Park in front as the half time whistle blew.

Half-time: Queen’s Park 2-1 Partick Thistle

Queen’s looked to start the second half as they finished the first with some direct play mixed with some lovely passing phases creating a couple of corners early on.

Good running from Rudden got the Spiders forward a layoff at the edge of the box and gave Thomson a shot from 25 yards but his powerful strike was matched by the save of Myles Roberts in the Thistle goal.

Logan Chalmers showed trickery down the right side, his whipped ball across the face looked destined to go wide. Unfortunately for the Spiders, Will Tizzard attempted to turn the ball behind and ended up deflecting a header past his goalkeeper to draw the visitor’s level on 64 minutes.

The game entered a stop start phase as the clock moved towards 90 minutes as both teams strived for an opening for a late winner. As additional time went up, Calum Ferrie was on hand to smother a Brian Graham strike. The ball was swiftly bowled forward, and Jack Thomson broke into the box for what looked like the winner, but Myles Roberts threw himself across goal to keep the game level.

Full-time: Queen’s Park 2-2 Partick Thistle

With the game tied, we went into extra time, with neither side giving an inch in what was becoming a classic end to end cup clash. Queen’s looked to start brightly as Thomas forced an early save from Roberts.

Queen’s substitute Hickey Fugaccia did well down the right to win a corner on 95 minutes although the danger was cleared from the Thistle goal.

Ryan Duncan came off on 100 minutes to be replaced by Josh Scott as Queen’s made their final change.

Half time in extra time: Queen’s Park 2-2 Partick Thistle

This tense cup tie entered its final phase as both teams pushed to try and secure a place in the draw for the next round.

Arguably the best chance of extra time came on 110 minutes as McBeth gathered the ball on the edge of the Queen’s box, fainted one way and went the other. He then unleashed a canon of a strike, that had the crossbar reverberating.

Thistle then had a series of chances within the one attack. A free kick swung in was met by a Thistle head, Ferrie saved, the ball spilt out, Ferrie saved again before another effort from the Jags finally went wide.

As the game petered out Josh Scott ran at Kyle Turner to play a cutback that a Thistle defender got a toe to but had Myles Roberts scrambling back across his goal to palm the ball round the post.

Full-time of extra time: Queen’s Park 2-2 Partick Thistle

After 120 minutes, nothing separated the sides, so it would be penalties to decide this cup third tie, with the action taking place at the Mont Florida end, closest to the home supporters.

Kyle Turner took first for Thistle and powerfully shot low sending Ferrie the wrong way

Dom Thomas went up first for Queen’s Park and his effort went past Roberts into the net.

Logan Chalmers took second for Thistle and Ferrie guessed right to SAVE

Liam McLeish took second – his effort kissed the inside of the post before going into the net.

Luke McBeth was third for thistle, Ferrie got something on it, but it wasn’t enough, as the penalty went in.

Rocco Hickey Fugaccia then took for the Spiders but his penalty was read well by Roberts and SAVED.

Harry Milne was fourth for Thistle he dispatched passed Ferrie.

Jack Thomson was up next for Queen’s and sent Roberts the wrong way.

Steven Lawless took next for the Jags, and his stuttered run up sent Ferrie the wrong way finishing high into the net.

Louis Longridge took fifth, and calmly slotted into the bottom corner, to send us to sudden death.

Terry Ablade was up next for the visitors, Ferrie got more than a hand onto it, but couldn’t divert wide.

Cammy Kerr took next and sent Roberts the wrong way finishing well.

Ricco Diack was seventh up for thistle and made no mistake, despite Ferrie going the right way.

Josh Hinds followed and he finished well to the right-hand side

Dan O’Reilly took eighth for the away team, but found his effort brilliantly SAVED by Ferrie

That save gave Queen’s next penalty taker, Josh Scott the chance to win the tie, he stepped up, and dispatched his penalty into the bottom left corner, to send the Spiders through to the next round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup.

Full time after penalties on an exhausting afternoon for all involved at the National Stadium – Queen’s Park 2-2 Partick Thistle (Queen’s win 7-6 on penalties).

The fourth-round draw will take place on BBC Scotland after the East Kilbride vs Falkirk match on Monday evening.

Queen’s Park: Calum Ferrie; Cammy Kerr, Henry Fieldson, Will Tizzard, Louis Longridge, Jack Thomson, Roddy MacGregor, (Josh Hinds ’72) Jack Turner, (Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia ’78) Ryan Duncan, (Josh Scott ‘100) Dom Thomas © Zak Rudden (Liam McLeish ‘97).
Unused Substitutes: Jack Wills (GK), Zak Mauchin, Sean Welsh, Max Thompson

Partick Thistle: Myles Roberts; Kyle Turner, Dan O’Reilly, Lee Ashcroft, Harry Milne, Stuart Bannigan, Robbie Crawford, (Luke McBeth ’92) Scott Robinson, (Ricco Diack ‘114) Logan Chalmers, Aidan Fitzpatrick, (Terry Ablade ’74) Brian Graham © (Steven Lawless ’96).
Unused Substitutes: David Mitchell (GK), Charlie Sayers, Liam Smith, James Lyon