KEVIN HOLT knows that if Partick Thistle are to advance to the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup by knocking out Aberdeen this evening, they will need to play with ambition and be brave on the ball – something that shouldn’t prove too difficult for the centre-half.
The Jags are aiming to bring a 20-year wait to reach Hampden to a close and Ian McCall’s side go into the contest in good form. Top of the Championship standings, the Glasgow outfit recorded a 2-1 win away to Hamilton at the weekend in their last outing.
Scott Tiffoney’s sublime winning goal grabbed the headlines after the match but it was so nearly Holt who scored a contender for goal of the season. From inside his own half at a free-kick, the former Queen of the South defender spotted Accies keeper Ryan Fulton off his line. He shelled an ambitious effort at goal as soon as the ball was released by the referee but Fulton managed to scurry back in time to hastily bat it away.
It might not have gone in, but Holt’s long-range effort should provide a helpful reminder to the team ahead of tonight’s quarter-final at Pittodrie: play with ambition and aim high, and who knows what can happen.
“The ref had the ball in his hands and the goalie was miles off his line,” Holt said of his shot against Hamilton. “If the ref had dropped the ball five seconds earlier I’d have had a better chance of scoring!
“It’s the first time I’ve tried that from a dead ball. There’s been moments in live play where the goalie has been off his line and I’ve stepped in and intercepted a pass and tried it. Saturday’s definitely the closest I’ve come though.
“Try it against Aberdeen? Absolutely! I’m never shy of having a wee shot. [Aberdeen goalkeeper] Kelle Roos is a bit bigger mind you so it’s a big ask to get by him. As long as at least one of the boys can get the ball past him.”
McCall says that he plans on encouraging his team to attack and while he would have preferred the advantage of a home tie, he believes Thistle have what it takes to triumph over Jim Goodwin’s side.
“I’d have preferred the game to be at Firhill,” he said. “We fancy ourselves against most teams when we’re at home.
“For the first time probably since the start of the season, we won’t be favourites going into a game. Aberdeen will be expected to win and that’s good from our point of view.
“Their manager is a very astute young dude. I don’t think they’ll be taking us lightly and we certainly won’t change the way we play.
“We’ll play 4-3-3 and try and move the ball. If we play well, we’ve got a chance. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.
“Aberdeen’s home form has been very good, while their away form has been a bit iffy. They’ll be favourites to win the game, but we’re not without a chance.”
The Jags manager admits to being a long-term admirer of his Dons counterpart, having been impressed with the Irishman’s work in the Championship at Alloa and St Mirren, and always felt the 40-year-old was on his way to bigger and better things.
McCall added: “I’ve said this to him. You see younger managers coming through and you get a hunch about the ones who are going to go on and do well.
“Jim was certainly one of them. A lot of the younger managers sometimes don’t get the basics.
“Of course, you’ve got to embrace all of the modern methods with management. But you’ve also got to get the basics right – and Jim does that.
“He has gone on to get the Aberdeen job, which is probably the third or fourth biggest in the country.
“It’s up to him now just in terms of how high he actually goes. I’ve got a lot of time for him.”
