Queen’s Park manager Owen Coyle is convinced his side can knock Partick Thistle out of the cinch Premiership play-offs despite being on the wrong end of another high-scoring thriller.
The Spiders fought back to level the tie at Firhill with two goals in the last seven minutes of normal time but Brian Graham scored deep into stoppage time to earn the Jags a 4-3 quarter-final first-leg victory.
Queen’s were two down to goals from Kyle Turner and Jack McMillan inside 28 minutes but Dom Thomas netted the first of two spectacular strikes.
Aidan Fitzpatrick restored Thistle’s two-goal cushion after a slack back-pass but Marcel Boateng’s deflected strike was soon followed by an even better solo effort from Thomas.
However, a late blow consigned the Spiders to a sixth defeat in eight games and came four days after a 5-3 defeat by Dundee in the Championship title decider.
Coyle, whose side host Thistle at temporary home Ochilview on Friday, said: “What I do know from what I have seen, is that we can win the game on Friday night.
“What we need to do, and it’s very clear, we need to defend better because if we do we can score. We know we can score goals.
“We will take the kick in the teeth to lose the game in the seventh minute of added time when there was three minutes of time added on.
“What I do know is people must certainly enjoy watching us play because we play to win games, and that won’t change, we are trying to build a team that’s pleasing on the eye.
“But we want to be winning at the same time, but we need to defend better as well as having that flair going forward.”
Thistle manager Kris Doolan felt a mistake by referee Kevin Clancy changed the course of the game but he praised his players for their character.
Turner appeared to be fouled by Marcel Oakley just before the ball broke for Boateng 25 yards out.
Doolan said: “There was a clear foul on Kyle Turner just before their second goal, I can’t believe it wasn’t given. The referee was five yards away, it wasn’t a difficult one.
“They get a goal and they get back in the game and feel they have the impetus. Dom Thomas has real quality, we know that, but the second goal was the real catalyst for them. At 3-1 down they are almost out the game.
“We have to tighten up a wee bit, we don’t want to be giving away three goals, but to score four, and a last-minute winner, it shows the character.
“I think it gives us even more confidence. We can see across the 97 minutes we have the fitness, the stamina, the desire to keep going, and the mentality as well. We kept that mental strength all the way to the end and in the play-offs the mentality is massive.
“There is a real togetherness among us anyway and I feel that galvanises us as well.”
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
Vlahovic out of Juventus clash with Milan
Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.
Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.
"I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.
"Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."
Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.
Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.
"I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.
"This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."
Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.
"It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.
"We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."
Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.
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