Hibernian Survives Partick Thistle's Late Pressure to Advance in Premier Sports Cup

Owen Elding’s early strike was enough to drag Hibernian into the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup – but Partick Thistle made them sweat for every second of a narrow 1-0 win.

The forward, already in sharp form this season, grabbed his third goal of the campaign with a classic poacher’s finish at the back post, then watched from the other end as Hibs clung on under heavy late pressure and a VAR scare.

Fast start, ruthless finish

Any fears of European hangover vanished almost immediately. Just days after a draining trip to North Macedonia to see off Shkendija and reach the Conference League play-offs, David Gray’s side burst out as if they’d had the week off.

Fresh legs helped. Kanayo Megwa, Jack Iredale, Joe Newell and Jamie McGrath all came in, and Hibs could have been in front inside five minutes.

McGrath slid a clever ball through the Thistle back line, Elding latched on and drove low, only for Liam McFarlane to spread himself and block with his legs.

The warning went unheeded.

On 12 minutes, Hibs struck. Iredale surged to the byline on the left and whipped a vicious ball across the six-yard box. It flew past bodies and landed perfectly for Elding, who arrived at the back post to knock it in. Simple finish, ruthless move. Hibs were flying.

They looked ready to put Thistle away early. The tempo was high, the passing sharp, and the visitors were pinned back.

But the second goal never came. And the game changed.

Missed chances keep Thistle alive

Hibs’ early control slowly loosened. Thistle tightened up, made the spaces smaller, and while they struggled to threaten at one end, they at least stopped the hosts from running away with it.

Oisin Smyth tried to jolt his side into life with a strike from distance that deflected wide, but most of the danger still came towards McFarlane’s goal.

The on-loan Hearts goalkeeper kept his team in the tie with a superb double intervention before the break. First he reacted brilliantly to tip Elding’s close-range effort on to the bar, then, moments later, he denied Nathan Lowe with his feet after another sharp Hibs attack.

The pattern continued after half-time. Hibs pushed for daylight, Thistle hung on.

Mayor saw a driven effort turned behind by McFarlane, who refused to be beaten again. Then came the moment Elding should have killed it.

Just before the hour, Lowe picked him out with a raking pass in behind. Elding was clear, the angle good, the stadium ready to celebrate. One heavy touch ruined it. McFarlane dived at his feet to smother, the loose ball looping to McGrath, whose delicate chip dropped agonisingly on to the roof of the net.

The miss kept Thistle alive. It also opened the door for controversy.

VAR drama and late siege

On 65 minutes, Hibs’ control almost evaporated in an instant.

Sebastian Drodz’s effort inside the box struck Newell, and referee Duncan Nicolson pointed straight to the spot. Thistle players demanded the penalty stand. Hibs players protested. Then VAR stepped in.

After a review, Nicolson reversed his decision, ruling the contact accidental. Hibs exhaled. Thistle seethed. The away side responded by throwing everything at the game.

From that point, it was a different contest. Hibs, so bright early on, found themselves deep, defending their own box as Thistle sensed an equaliser.

Cale Loughrey unleashed a fierce free-kick that Rafa Sallinger had to beat away. The Austrian keeper then reacted sharply at his near post to block a driven effort from Smyth.

The chances kept coming. Ben Stanway glanced a header wide from a promising position. Ben Dempsey tested Sallinger again at the near post, the Hibs keeper pushing behind as the pressure mounted.

Thistle kept swinging until the final whistle. Hibs, who should have been out of sight long before, ended up clinging on.

They survived. They’re in the quarter-finals. But if they keep leaving the door open like this, how long can that luck hold in the cups?