90’+4’Full TimeSecond Half ends, Partick Thistle 3, Ayr United 0.90’+3’Attempt missed. Paul Smith (Ayr United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ross Docherty with a cross following a set piece situation.90’+1’Attempt blocked. Ross Docherty (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Gary Harkins.90’+1’Corner, Partick Thistle. Conceded by Alan Forrest.90’Substitution, Ayr United. Craig Bryden replaces Jamie McKenzies.89’Attempt missed. Gary Harkins (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ross Docherty.87’Attempt missed. Gary Harkins (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Stuart Bannigan.
Partick Thistle took a commanding three-goal lead to Ayr United after a dominant performance in their Scottish Premiership play-off semi-final first-leg at Firhill. Jack McMillan opened the scoring with a near-post finish before Brian Graham made up for an earlier miss by tucking in to double the advantage. Graham then added a third with a cushioned finish, leaving Ayr without 24-goal forward Dipo Akinyemi due to illness unable to create enough in attack to pull one back. The visitors, playing their first game for a fortnight, looked sluggish throughout and struggled to deal with the intensity of the home side, who have now lost just once in 16 games under Kris Doolan’s stewardship. Partick Thistle manager Doolan said: “We got what we deserved, it could have been five or six if we took our chances. Going forward, we’re creative and we showed we’re clinical as well. But we won’t treat the tie as being over. We won’t sit in and observe pressure. We’ll go to Somerset looking to win.” Ayr United manager Lee Bullen added: “I’m really disappointed with the goals we conceded. We’re all unhappy at the moment, but that’s credit to Thistle. It’s down to mindset now. We’ve got the ability [to turn it around]. We created one or two chances ourselves which gives us optimism.” The second leg takes place at Somerset Park next Friday.
