Partick Thistle ........ 2

Alloa Athletic ........ 1

AN own goal by Paul Simpson left Alloa Athletic stunned after a fighting display in the driving wind and rain at Firhill.

However, it also marked the comeback of Partick Thistle's Scotland youth cap, Martin Lauchlan, who had been missing injured for two months. Lauchlan came on as a substitute with the sides level in 74 minutes and, just five minutes later, his dangerous cross was headed into the net by the desperately stretching Simpson as he tried to clear.

Up until then, Partick's main threat had come from on-loan striker Paul Tosh. Indeed, Firhill manager Tommy Bryce must hope that somehow he can hold onto Tosh, who could have played his last game for the cash-strapped Firhill outfit, even though the player looks to be on his way out of his present club, Hibernian.

Both Blackpool and Rotherham United were watching Tosh and it is unlikely that Thistle will be able to pay his wages now that Hibs have laid down that they must pay the full amount if they want to extend his loan.

Yet, for all the Partick chances - as both sides did not allow the strong and blustery wind to spoil the game - Alloa did well and that will not have spoiled the chances of caretaker manager Jimmy Gilmour, who wants to take over from the departed Tom Hendrie.

It was Alloa who took the lead in 39 minutes with a superb Martin Cameron volley that gave goalkeeper Kenny Arthur no chance. That was a real shock for Thistle, who had twice been foiled by last-gasp tackles from Mike McAnenay as Tosh came close.

However, within a minute of that Alloa opener, Partick struck back and Robert Dunn turned a Graham Connell cross into the net.

PARTICK THISTLE - Arthur, Kennedy, McKeown, Jamieson, Archibald, Gaughan, Connell, Frame, Tosh, Dunn, Flannigan. Substitutes - T Callaghan, Bonar, Lauchlan.

ALLOA ATHLETIC - Cairns, Valentine, Sharp, McAneny, Simpson, Pew, M Wilson, S Wilson, Cameron, Irvine, McKechnie. Substitutes - McKay, Ramsay, Clark.

Referee - B McGarry (Cumbernauld).

qJUVENTUS were beaten 2-1 at home by Bologna in the first leg of their Italian Cup quarter-final last night in Turin, but the main surprise of the night came when Serie B side Atalanta Bergamo beat Fiorentina 3-2.

q THERE was high drama in the Spanish Cup last night when Valladolid defeated Badajoz 12-11 on penalties after the match had finished 1-1 and 2-2 on aggregate.