DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | MOTHERWELL (H)
31st October 2024
United’s Scottish Cup campaign resumed with a tough test against Ian McCall’s Partick Thistle in Maryhill. The last time the sides met was in 2020/21’s edition of the competition, Nicky Clark netting a controversial stoppage-time winner to send the Terrors into the Fourth Round.
For the first time this season, Tam Courts named an unchanged starting XI following Wednesday’s comfortable win over Motherwell at Tannadice. The Scottish Cup allows for more substitutes though and onto the bench came 16-year-old Craig Moore, Ghanaian Mathew Anim Cudjoe and two-time Scottish Cup winner Charlie Mulgrew.
The Firhill surface seemed to contain more mud than grass at the beginning of the match, a condition which would only worsen as the game continued.
The pitch played a role in the low quality of play the opening stages contained, with both sides keeping the ball off the ground to avoid making costly mistakes at the back. This meant Thistle were able to utilise their physical superiority to bring the ball under control in the attacking third, with Alex Jakubiak and Brian Graham in particular bringing their teammates into proceedings with strong hold-up play.
The Route One style almost paid off for the Jags on the 10th minute when Ross Graham mis controlled a long ball from Jamie Sneddon, allowing Jakubiak to pick up the scraps and dart towards goal. Luckily for United, Calum Butcher was on hand to slide in and nip the ball from the former Dundee striker’s toes.
Scott Tiffoney also proved to be a livewire for the hosts, as his pace and trickery caused problems for Liam Smith and Ryan Edwards on the left. Thistle skipper Ross Docherty lofted the ball into the channel for Tiffoney to latch onto and control, before shifting onto his right foot and firing a shot which forced Siegrist to push it over the bar for a corner.
Jakubiak and Graham continued to link up effectively, with the former finding the latter on the burst beyond the defence. Graham cut inside his namesake sharply and pulled the trigger, but the well-placed Edwards managed to knee the ball wide in front of Siegrist.
Ian Harkes was gifted possession 20 yards from goal by the Thistle defence and looked certain to simply stroke the ball into the feet of McNulty to his right who had a clear route to goal. However, the American lost his composure at the crucial moment and overhit the pass.
On the 34th minute though, Harkes became the hero with yet another wonderful long-range strike to put United a goal to the good. Tony Watt managed to force the ball wide for Smith to collect and stride forward down the right. The full-back skipped beyond Stephen Hendrie and sent a cross into the area. Robbie Crawford looked to have the situation under control but untidily hacked his clearance straight into the path of Harkes who sent an unstoppable half-volley fizzing into the far corner past the helpless Sneddon. This proved to be the last action of a scrappy first 45.
After the break, Thistle began to string passes together despite the awful playing surface, circulating the ball nicely around United’s midfield press. Tiffoney managed to skip beyond Niskanen and thump the ball into the box, Siegrist having to throw a strong fist out to clear the danger.
Tiffoney escaped the clutches of the United defence again in the 53rd minute, as his shot was deflected into the path of Graham on the six-yard line who failed to connect with the ball properly and sent his miscued effort wide of the post.
A Hendrie free-kick was met by the glove of Siegrist who inadvertently punched it into his own man on the penalty spot. The ball dropped and a stramash ensued, eventually culminating in a shot from Kevin Holt which sailed over the bar.
Another scramble in the area occurred three minutes later, Holt again trying his luck but being denied by Butcher on the slide.
United hit back to the hosts’ pressure by carving out a golden opportunity to give themselves breathing space. Marc McNulty sent a teasing cross towards the advancing Ilmari Niskanen but the Finn mistimed his diving header. The ball ran all the way through to Watt at the back post who had time to kill it dead but bent his effort well wide of the far post.
Harkes then received the ball near the by-line from Watt and sent it across the box towards Niskanen, but Holt was on hand to nick it away. The loose ball ran into the path of substitute Scott McMann and his first-time strike was blocked by Ciaran Mckenna.
On the 66th minute, tangible claims for a penalty were waived away by referee John Beaton after Niskanen was felled in the area by McKenna following powerful midfield running from Butcher.
Despite piling on the pressure, it took Thistle until stoppage-time to get a clear sighting of goal due to United’s defensive solidity when faced with a hail of crosses. Tiffoney burst away from Edwards and ran along the line before trying to beat Siegrist from the tightest of angles. Needless to say, the Swiss stood firm to clear the ball with his feet.
A match which quickly descended into a battle due to the conditions but United were up for the fight as we book our place in the Quarter Finals of the Scottish Cup on a bitterly cold day in Maryhill.
