Match report by Chris Marshall.
Partick Thistle and Kilmarnock had to settle for a share of the points after an incident packed contest ended 2-2 in SWPL Cup group D at a blustery Petershill Park.
The shape of the group had been impacted during the week by the LMC decision to award victories to Partick Thistle and Motherwell following postponements in previous weeks and so a win for either would have been seen as key to their hopes of progression to the knockout stages.
It would be the home side that would start fastest and take the lead with 12 minutes on the clock when Suzanne Mulvey was taken down inside the Killie area and it would be the former Scotland international that would step up to slot home.
Three minutes later Thistle found themselves on the spot once again after the referee had adjudged defender Amy Burrows to have handled inside the area. This time it would be former-Killie forward Clare Docherty that with ball in hand but she would blaze her effort over the bar.
Kilmarnock, who had spent the majority of the early going on the back foot, took advantage of the home sides wastefulness to equalise on the 24th minute as a sweeping counter attack ended when Dana Baird’s cross was superbly finished by Monica Harty to draw her side level.
The game swung back in Thistle’s favour on the half hour mark with Docherty this time making no mistake as she calmly slid the ball past Lauren McGregor with opposing defenders diving at her feet.
On the balance of play the home side probably deserved to hold the lead at the interval but that lead would not be held for long as on the 58th minute Killie drew level through a penalty of their own as Lauren Chisholm converted.
Any momentum the visitors were hoping to build on was soon halted as former Rangers midfielder Shelley Campbell was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Docherty and she would join her assistant coach Michael McDougall on the touchline following his own dismissal five minutes earlier.
Despite the numerical advantage the home side struggled to create any further chances and it was the visitors that nearly took the lead a few minutes later as recent capture from Glasgow City Joanne Paton broke free of the Jags defence, however the forwards effort would fizz wide of Jade Baillie’s far post.
John Doyle’s side did come close though when substitute Sophie Gallacher saw her effort tipped onto the post by a diving McGregor before Docherty was denied a second by the offside flag having thought she had broken free.
The point means that Thistle go into the final round of fixtures knowing that a victory over host Motherwell will secure top spot following Forfar Farmington’s 2-1 victory in North Lanarkshire. For Kilmarnock, they will enter the newly created SWPL Plate on goal difference at the expense of Boroughmuir Thistle.
Partick Thistle: Bailie, Todd, Murphy, Falconer, Nicolson, Docherty, McGlashan, Hawksworth, McLaughlin, McAvoy, Mulvey. Subs: Smith, Lyle, Craig, Gallacher, Christie, Millar.
Kilmarnock: McGregor, Middleton, Burrows, Neil, Docherty, Harty, Campbell, Robinson, Chisholm, Baird, Paton. Subs: Galt, Fletcher, Dawson, Gallagher, McDowall.
