Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Faulhouse United
Scottish Cup 3rd Round
Thistle manager Dunky Sinclair started the game with an unchanged lineup after last week’s win at Wishaw in the first early kick off of the new season. It was the Jags first official home game since they played Lesmahagow in early September and ended a run of five away fixtures that included the Albert game in the last round of the cup.
Fauldhouse started the game on top and for the first ten minutes it looked like Thistle were going to be in for a hard game as a series of early corners put the Larkhall defence under pressure but good handling by keeper Thomson and some solid defending kept the threat at bay.
The Jags came right back into the game after this early flurry however and were in control for most of the rest of the first half. There was a shout for a penalty from Thistle after David Reid had made a good run down the left and whipped in a headheight cross that was met by Ryan Innes who guided it onto the post, as it came back and fell in the box he tried to play it but went over as a couple of Fauldhouse players lunged in to tackle him.
Headers from Liam Mushett and Innes went narrowly past the post and a good strike from Innes that went past the same post were the closest the Jags came to going in with a first half lead.
Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Faulhouse United 0
The second half began much as the first half had with Fauldhouse coming out of the blocks early and having a real go. The Jags defence once again coped admirably though, although there was a real let-off for Thistle early in the half as the visitors had a goal mysteriously disallowed.
Again though just as the first half had played out, the second turned quickly into a largely one way street – heading straight for the Fauldhouse goal. Thistle had the majority of play and chances and the only real surprise was that it took until half an hour into the second half for them to take the lead.
Thistle won a corner on the left side and David Reid crossed the ball deep to the back post, Innes was up highest and headed the ball back acrosss the goal into the top corner giving the keeper no chance.
Even with the upper hand, it always looked likely that a second goal would be needed and the Jags pressed hard to try and get it, shots from Canning and Gracie went over the bar before Gracie had a real chance to tie the game up as he went clear in the box but couldn’t manage to steer the ball in from a tight wide angle.
It was a miss that Thistle would come to regret as Fauldhouse produced a remarkable late smash and grab act to steal the tie.
As the Jags tried to see out the game, they lost a corner almost right on the end of regulation time which to be honest could have been prevented. Keeper Thomson shouted to claim the ball but Niall Reynolds either didn’t hear the shout or decided on safety first and sliced it back behind himself out for a corner as he tried to clear it.
The corner was played in to the edge of the box where Byrne was lurking completely unmarked and hit a slightly scuffed shot on the half volley that took a deflection and gave Thomson no chance.
The confidence that the goal had given Thistle seemed to disappear like a burst balloon as they now looked more like the team that was going to have to try and hang on for a draw rather than win the game.
If the first goal had been a bad one to lose, the winner was arguably even worse. As Fauldhouse pressed, Josh Payne played the ball to McKeever on the right wing who lumped it forward into space, it was gathered by the keeper and he sent it high and long down to the other end. Reynolds appeared to mis-time his jump and let it bounce inside the box and as it rose up towards the goal Thomson came flying out to clear but missed the ball entirely leaving the Fauldhouse substitute clear to hook it into the empty net.
It was a game that Thistle never looked like losing, nor did they deserve to, despite their 3/1 prematch price tag. And although it will be no consolation to those throwing their bookie lines on the terracing, the players can at least take some heart from outplaying a team from the top league in the east.
Full time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Faulhouse United 2
Website man of the match: Good performances from Brown and Mushett in the defence, and Reid always looked a threat with Payne and Kelly battling well in midfield but Ryan Innes scored and could have had another two or three as well as putting in a great shift in midfield so he gets it this week.
Larkhall Thistle:
S. Thomson; Brown, Mushett, Reynolds; Kelly, Payne, Innes, Canning, Reid; McKeever, Gracie. Subs: McStay, D Thomson, Nicholl, Jack, Burns
Fauldhouse United:
Connolly; Ward, Nicholl, Watson, Devlin; Black, Stewart, Fallon, Richford, Sally, Byrne, Coogans
Scorer: Innes