Stott determined to help Culter taste Firhill thrills

Culter midfielder Ryan Stott knows that only fatigue robbed him of a goal which would have etched his name into Scottish Cup folklore, but it has merely made him more determined to be a hero at Firhill this afternoon.

Stott kept his cool to slot a 19th minute equaliser past Scott Fox to secure a 1-1 draw at Crombie Park and force a lucrative replay for the Aberdeenshire juniors against Partick Thistle. He admits that it was easily the biggest goal he has ever scored, and the most famous in the club’s 120-year history.

Yet Stott could have turned a laudable draw into a truly miraculous victory as the ball fell to him in the dying embers of a remarkable battle, but exhaustion after a frenzied encounter kicked in and his effort soared over the crossbar.

Now, as Culter head to Glasgow for the replay, fitness instructor Stott is looking to make amends as the 33-1 long-shots aim to go one better at the home of Jackie McNamara’s professionals. He said: “If it had been ten minutes earlier then I think I’d have managed to, at least, hit the target. I don’t think it was a massively clear-cut chance but it was a 50/50 chance that, in a different situation, could have gone in.

“But I was ecstatic when I did score, I actually couldn’t believe it happened, it was just such an adrenaline rush. I couldn’t put it into words how it would feel to score at Firhill. If we won the match it would mean so much more to the players and to the club but, on a personal level, it would be the best thing in football that I’ve ever achieved.”