Aberdeen-Mad's Deveronvale vs Partick Thistle match preview

Feature by Stand Free Ed
Updated Friday, 2nd February 2007

The game between Deveronvale and Partick Thistle in the Tennent's Scottish Cup on Saturday 3rd February 2007 at 15:00 takes centre stage for Aberdeen-Mad's preview analysis.

History of the Deveronvale vs Partick Thistle fixture.

THIS pant-wettingly exciting fixture is the very first time Highland League club Deveronvale have reached the Fourth Round of the Scottish Cup. Not only have the mightly Vale made club history, they have gone further in this year's competition than Glasgow Rangers, Kilmarnock and, of course, Aberdeen.

The teams were drawn from of the hat in the Scottish Cup Fourth Round draw to set up a tantalising encounter at the Banff side's ground Princess Royal Park.

MORAY Coast outfit Deveronvale overcame a late fightback from Elgin City to knock the Third Division side out of the Scottish Cup.

Mark Chisholm and Ian Murray had the home side 2-0 up within 10 minutes and a Mark Smith prod and Mike McKenzie's low strike put them firmly in control.

Martin Johnston headed one back after 39 minutes and added a second after the break before Graeme Watt made it 5-2.

Steven Mackay's screamer and Johnston's hat-trick made for a tense finale, but the Vale held on for a historic win.

COMEDY Scottish football club Partick Thistle scraped a 1-0 win over Ross County in the previous round.

John Robertson came back to haunt his former club by scoring the Scottish Cup winner at Victoria Park.

Robertson rose to meet a Mark Roberts cross after 15 minutes to send a free header into the net.

Thistle, self-styled 'everyone's favourite second team', survived a clear penalty claim from County to sneak through.

Recent respective form guides

Deveronvale are showing excellent home form, having won five and lost only one from the last six played.

Partick Thistle have a dismal recent record on the road, picking up two wins and losing four in the last six games.

Deveronvale sit a healthy third in the Scot-Ads Highland League, with 38 points from 19 matches. Partick are doing absolutely nothing in the middle of the Scottish First Division. Their 23 games have yielded only 32 points.