At the second time of asking, Thistle took a comfortable passage into the fourth round dominating the match from start to finish in terrible overhead conditions at Firhill.
After the disappointment of the draw at Culter in the first game, manager Jackie McNamara made three changes to his starting eleven for the Firhill replay. In came Scott Robertson, Stephen O’Donnell and Christie Elliot while Conrad Balatoni, Stuart Bannigan and Kris Doolan all dropped to the bench.
The start that Thistle made to this game could scarcely have been any better. Thistle kicked the game off and were a goal in front with barely 10 seconds on the clock. Tommy Stewart was able to head the ball into the path of Christie Elliot and he drilled the ball past Farquhar and into the net.
Thistle were obviously keen to press home their early advantage and could even have found themselves as many as three ahead before the first 5 minute had elapsed. They had to wait, however, until the 26th minute to extend their lead. Chris Erskine threaded a pass through to Paul Cairney who calmly took the ball round Farquhar before rolling the ball over the line.
Three minutes later the game was effectively over as Thistle scored their third of the afternoon with midfielder Cairney taking his tally for the season to seven for the season. Cairney managed to create space for himself at the edge of the box and his crisp shot found the back of the net.
In the 36th minute Cairney was close to completing a first half hat-trick. A short corner on the right hand side was worked into the path of Cairney and his chipped effort went over the head of Farquhar but landed on the top, rather than in, the back of the net.
A curling cross from Aaron Sinclair nearly found the net and a Tommy Stewart header went just wide as Thistle remained in total control of the proceedings.
Just as they had done in the first half, Thistle hit the target early in the second half although this one wasn’t quite as rapid as 11 seconds. Paul Paton’s long ball forward was collected by Chris Erskine and he lifted the ball over the Culter keeper who couldn’t quite get back in time to prevent the ball crossing the line.
Aaron Sinclair has impressed greatly since arriving from Montrose but he hadn’t managed a goal in Thistle colours. He was close to a first Thistle goal in the 56th minute when his header struck the bar. Seconds later Scott Robertson headed wide when a goal looked likely.
Although now looking resigned to their fate, Culter were still showing plenty of spirit and in the 62nd minute they were close to registering a goal of their own but substitute Donald couldn’t quite direct a cross from the right into the Thistle net.
With Culter visibly tiring Thistle should have had a fifth goal in the 67th minute. Chris Erskine was able to cut right through the Culter defence but was let down by his finish, lifting the ball over the bar with just Farquhar to beat.
Four minutes later Erskine did force the Culter into a fine save low to his right as the game continued to be played pretty much exclusively in the Culter half.
For all Thistle’s dominance Culter were still keeping their shape and making it difficult for Thistle. They had the woodwork to thank for a second time though in the 84th minute when Paul Cairney was denied a hat-trick when his free kick from the edge of the box struck the bar.

Culter FC

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