HIS record in cup football has been the only failing in Alan Archibald's hugely successful start to his managerial career.
After keeping up his unbeaten record on league duty on Friday - his Partick Thistle side drew with Dundee United in the SPFL Premiership opener - he will now look to record his maiden win in knock-out football tonight.
April's penalty shoot-out defeat by Queen of the South in the Ramsdens Cup final is the only occasion Thistle have been beaten since Archibald assumed the reigns from Jackie McNamara in February. It was the first time the Firhill side had reached a final since their League Cup success of 1971 and they begin their latest foray into that competition this evening against Ayr United.
The visit of the League One club may not be as glamorous as the events of last Friday but, while Archibald is set to shuffle his pack, there is no chance of the top flight team taking Mark Roberts' side for granted.
"I am wary of [changing the team too much] because it looks as though we are being disrespectful to Ayr but that is certainly not the case," he said. "We are bringing in like-for-like; we are not weakening the team by making changes. I am expecting a similar level of performance to the one we saw on Friday night.
"We are desperate to get a cup run this season. We did well in the Ramsdens Cup last year and we all really enjoyed that. We haven't done that well in the League Cup in the last few years so we would love to get a run it in this season. But we know how hard it is going to be against a well organised Ayr team."
Mark Roberts, the Ayr United manager, was a Thistle player for three-and-a-half seasons and helped them gain promotion to the First Division, scoring nearly 50 goals in his time there.
He was not expecting a winning return to his former club. "I have been back four or five times as a player and have won once but I know we are massive underdogs to win this one," he said.
"I watched them against Dundee United on Friday and they are a very good side going forward. There is no pressure on us as no-one expects to do anything and Thistle are expected to win. We can go give it our best and see where that takes us."
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