First Team
Saints 0-1 Partick Thistle
11th February 2017
Saturday 11th February
Adam Barton's strike on seven minutes was enough to send Partick Thistle into the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup at the expense of Saints this afternoon at McDiarmid Park.
St. Johnstone came close through Steven MacLean, Blair Alston and Chris Kane in the second half but were unable to find their way past a stubborn Jags defence.
Tommy Wright's Saints sole focus will now be on the league, where the club sit in 5th place, three points behind Heart of Midlothian.
Next up is a trip north to face Ross County in Dingwall next Saturday afternoon.
MATCH REPORT
Saints headed into Saturday’s William Hill Scottish Cup clash with Partick Thistle looking to emulate their scoreline against the visitors at Firhill ten days ago. Saints brought captain Steven Anderson back into the lineup after missing Sunday’s defeat to Celtic through illness.
Saints kicked off shooting into the North Stand but it was Thistle who took the lead, as Adam Barton found acres of space in the box to slot beneath Clark to put his team in front after 7 minutes. 0-1.
Saints tried to counter, and a brilliant Wotherspoon through ball found Foster who’s shot was tipped behind.
Swanson came even closer as a Millar cross from a quick free kick was half cleared to the winger on the edge of the area, but his half-volley rolled just past the post.
Swanson threatened again towards the end of the half from a mazy run but his soft shot was smothered by Cerny.
In injury time, Ade Azeez thundered forward in a Thistle break but Clark’s right arm miraculously denied the striker from close range.
McLean blew for half time at 1-0 to the visitors, with Saints needing a second half turnaround in order to keep their cup dreams alive
Saints made one switch at half time, replacing Wotherspoon with Alston.
Thistle got the second half underway, but it was Saints who provided the early pressure, as MacLean linked up well with Alston before the sub smashed his shot into Cerny’s arms.
However Thistle continued to press and Sean Welsh tried his luck from distance, beating both Clark and the post.
Saints countered however, and MacLean was unlucky to see his looping half volley dip onto the roof of the net.
Clark again came to Saints’ rescue on 68 minutes, keeping out a Liam Lindsay header from close range when the defence was beaten.
Saints switched Craig for Millar and Kane for Cummins on 72 minutes in an attempt to get back into the game.
And Saints were inches from doing that when Foster played on Alston on the right hand side, but the former Falkirk star’s effort curled just wide with the keeper beaten.
Next to try his luck was Craig, but his effort was held comfortably. It was beginning to look like Thistle’s day.
Thistle switched Azeez for Doolan with 7 minutes to go, looking to hold out.
Chris Kane’s bicycle kick looked to be Saints route back into the game from a smart Foster cross, but it flew inches over.
However there was no equaliser and St Johnstone bowed out of the Scottish Cup. Full time: St Johnston 0-1 Partick Thistle.
Saints: Clark, Anderson, Millar (Craig, 72), Davidson, MacLean, Wotherspoon (Alston, 46), Swanson, Shaughnessy, Foster, Easton, Cummins (Kane, 72)/. Unused subs: Mannus, Scobbie, Paton, Watson.
Goals:
Patrick: Cerny, Welsh, Lindsay, Osman, Amoo, Lawless, Barton, Devine, Azeez (Doolan, 83), Keown, Edwards. Unused subs: Ridgers, Erskine, Banton, Nisbet, McCarthy.
Goals: Barton (7)
Atendance: 2,887
Referee: Steven McLean
Man of the Match: Richard Foster
Match report by Ross Gardiner.