Partick Thistle edge city rivals Queen's Park in nine-goal Ramsdens Cup thriller

Aug 15 2012

Queen's Park 4 Partick Thistle 5

THE OLYMPICS may have packed up and left town but there was no shortage of drama in the Glasgow derby at Hampden last night as Partick Thistle squeezed into the quarter finals of the Ramsdens Cup.

In an incredible 90 minutes that swung one way then another Thistle hit two goals in stoppage time to pinch victory by the odd goal in nine.

Late, late goals by Stuart Bannigan and Chris Erskine dumped Queen's Park in cruel fashion but none of the supporters leaving the national stadium could have complained after an enthralling match.

Thistle suffered an early blow when midfielder Sean Welsh was carried off after a head knock to be replaced by Erskine.

The home side took the lead against the run of play in 19 minutes when man of the moment Lawrence Shankland sent a 20-yard wonders trike flying past Ryan Scully.

But the leveller wasn't long in coming. Thistle were awarded a disputed corner which the Spiders defence didn’t deal with and it fell at the back post for Aaron Sinclair to slot home.

Four minutes before the break, the Jags were ahead, Christie Elliot nodding home from James Craigen.

Queen's sent on Sean Burns for Owen Ronald at the break and equalised in 55 minutes when Jamie Longworth fired home from the edge of the box.

Jags boss Jackie McNamara sent on Steven Lawless for McGuigan before Erskine cut in from the left and bulleted a shot past Parry to put the Jags back in front.

Thistle piled forward in a bid to put the tie beyond Queen's and Erskine twice went close. But the Spiders scored with 10 minutes left, Tony Quinn flicking a shot past Scully.

Queen’s thought they had wrapped it up with five minutes left when skipper Ricky Little's 25 yard free kick flew into the bottom left hand corner of Scully’s goal.

But the Jags refused to give in and Bannigan levelled when he fired home from inside the box on the 90 minute mark.

And still the tie wasn't over as Erskine popped up at the last gasp to bury his second and book Thistle's place in the last eight.