Queen’s Park 0-4 Partick Thistle (agg 3-8): Jags advance to face Ayr United

Partick Thistle will play Ayr United in the Scottish Premiership play-off semi-final after a comprehensive win sealed an 8-3 aggregate victory over Queen’s Park.

Scott Tiffoney finished off an intricate move with a close-range finish and Kevin Holt knocked in the visitors’ third before half-time. Substitute Danny Mullen’s late header completed the scoring for Thistle.

Kris Doolan’s Jags remain in contention for a top-flight return after a five-year absence. They will be at home to Ayr next Friday, with the second leg the following Friday at Somerset Park. The winner will progress to meet the second bottom side in the Premiership.

Owen Coyle’s Spiders had gone into last Friday’s Championship decider with a chance of automatic promotion but their eventual 5-3 defeat by Dundee secured the title for the Taysiders. Defeat in the play-offs means they miss out on a third successive promotion and a first top-flight campaign since 1957-58.

Jake Davidson, a late inclusion to the Queen’s Park line-up following Jack Thomson’s injury in the warm-up, found himself clean through on goal early on but his shot was saved and the follow-up cleared off the line.

The visitors capitalised. Kyle Turner’s corner picked out Graham perfectly, the striker’s shot from the left of the box rising powerfully into the net.

Steven Lawless set Jack McMillan free to cross for Tiffoney in the six-yard box and a simple finish dealt another fatal blow to Queen’s Park’s hopes.

But Thistle were not done. Graham’s downward header from another Turner delivery was kept out by goalkeeper Calum Ferrie and Holt’s shins forced in the rebound.

Ferrie was called into action again moments later, another Graham header well saved as the beleaguered home defence chased shadows.

High scoring has been the hallmark of recent Queen’s Park’s games and they needed four just to force extra time.

Tiffoney had a shot blocked before any meaningful prospect of a home goal, keeper David Mitchell tipping a goalbound cross from substitute Josh McPake out for a corner.

Malachi Boateng also threatened, but could not direct his shot on target.

No comeback was forthcoming and, after Aidan Fitzpatrick’s shot was saved, Mullen was on hand to nod in on the line for Thistle’s fourth and eighth overall in the tie.