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And before I forget; I promised a Thistle supporter that I would admit gaining a throw-in from the referee's assistant that should have been given the other way in the second half.

So they're you go, I'm being honest like I was at the time, although your team didn't really need it in the end.

Just like the supporters, I've got great admiration for the players of Partick Thistle. I don't think they took us lightly and both their manager, Ian McCall, and Simon Donnelly (pictured) said as much in the press after the game.

But whereas I'd be happy to see the supporters down at Galabank again, chasing their midfield all over the place for 70 minutes isn't something I'd like to do again in a hurry.

There was so much inter-changing going on between the players it was difficult to hold our formation, and Donnelly dropping into midfield made it even harder for us.

In the end we held them for 84 minutes before the former Celtic man knocked us out of a cup competition for the second time in a week.

It was always our intention to stick to our shape and remain disciplined throughout the match in the hope of sneaking a goal on the break. Maybe that was our problem on Saturday; it was more in hope than in actual belief.

I have no doubt that Thistle were there for the taking, it was just a shame that we weren't good enough on the day. We defended reasonably well and I can't remember any real clear cut chances until they hit the bar just before their goal.

I just feel we didn't have the belief or the quality on the day to trouble the First Division side at the other end of the park.

We had organised our first team night out after the game, although only six of us made it.

I'm not going to slate any of the boys for not coming as I've missed the odd one myself in the past. It's always difficult to get everyone together as unfortunately we're spread all over the place.

We tried to keep the night out under wraps from the staff at the club. Any regular readers of my column will know that we have yet to be successful in a match after an organised night out!

Anyway, we stayed in the football club for a while after the game and had some food and a couple of drinks before heading up the street.

John MacBeth was designated driver so wasn't drinking. The boys, apart from Bryan Gilfillan and Peter Watson, were heading back to Dumfries but we managed to convince Gilly to come back through with us and turned our intention to big Watto.

As we headed to a pub only 50 yards across the road we decided kidnapping would be the best strategy but the big man was having none of it so we were a man down early doors.

Highlights of the night were singing in the car back to Dumfries and the Chairman's son Terry doing his muscle man impression with his top off. Imagine we had actually won the game, eh?

Our attentions now turn to league business, which kicks off at home to East Stirlingshire this weekend.

As much as we wanted to win both cup games, this is the biggest of the three and we want to get our league campaign off to the best of starts.

The manager attended Shire's match against Alloa on Sunday and we've already spoken about areas we think we can exploit.

They have lost a few players from their squad but Harry was very complimentary about the way they played so, as always, we're in for a difficult afternoon; but let's hope they are too.

The chairman has been very public about his targets for the season and the players are under no illusions as to what is expected of us and that has to start with three points on Saturday.