Partick Thistle ace Paul Cairney: Team mates didn't want me to hit penalty for hat trick

Apr 23 2012

PAUL CAIRNEY celebrated his first ever hat trick against Dundee on Saturday and insisted there was no way he was going to pass up the last minute penalty which secured the feat.

Thistle ace Cairney took his season tally to 12 goals by bagging the club's first hat trick in five and a half years in a stunning 3-0 victory at Dens Park.

But he could have had his treble even earlier had Dee keeper Rab Douglas not saved his 52nd minute spot kick.

However, Cairney made no mistake with his second effort from 12 yards deep into injury time.

And the Firhill ace, who was watched by Hibs manager Pat Fenlon, said: "The lads said not to give me it. But I was confident.

"Douglas made a great save at the first one but that didn't put me off and I just decided to blast it.

"I never even scored a hat-trick as a schoolboy so it was a great feeling."

Veteran Dee keeper DOuglas was in fine form to keep the rampant Jags at bay but he was left stranded when Chris Erskine set up Cairney in 35 minutes for the opener which he tapped in.

The ex-Scotland keeper kept the heroics going in the second half and blocked Cairney 52nd minute spot kick after Neil McGowan had fouled Mark McGuigan.

Jags star Cairney put the game to bed in the 81st minute though with the pick of his treble as he raced 40 yards before dinking the ball over the advancing Douglas.

He then sealed the win in injury time from the spot after McGregor was red carded for bringing down Sean Welsh.