Match ends, Partick Thistle 1, Hamilton Academical 0.
Partick ThistlePartick Thistle1HamiltonHamilton Academical0
Niall Keown scored the only goal as Partick Thistle beat Hamilton to move off the foot of the table.
In a first half the hosts dominated, Keown coolly slotted home at the back post after Georgios Sarris's fall made life easier for the big defender.
Chris Erskine and Blair Spittal passed up great chances as the Jags pressed for a second before the break.
Erskine hit the bar after half time before Accies' David Templeton did the same with a 30-yard shot.
The Jags' fourth home win in five moves them to within three points of Accies and a point above Ross County, who are the next visitors to Firhill in a match that could decide who goes into the winter break bottom of the table.
In the end, Keown was the key protagonist. Not only did he score the only goal of the game, but he made a vital intervention at the other end only a couple of minutes beforehand.
When Thistle goalkeeper Tomas Cerny failed to adequately deal with a Dougie Imrie header, Greg Docherty pounced but was denied a goal by Keown's last-gasp block.
And no sooner had Thistle survived that scare than they were ahead. Spittal sent a corner from the right towards the back post and when Sarris slipped, Keown was able to side-foot past Gary Woods from close range.
The home side were the better team for the first hour or so, but as has often been the case, they were unable to put the game to bed with a second goal despite creating chances to do so.
And after Chris Erskine had skimmed the bar with what might have been intended as a cross, Accies began to sense there might be something in the match for them.
Templeton twice went close to drawing Accies level, firstly with a shot that was well pushed away by Cerny and then, excruciatingly, hitting the bar with a swerving effort from 25 yards that had the keeper well beaten.
Rakish Bingham also had a goal-bound shot blocked as Accies claimed for a handball, but their late push for an equaliser proved fruitless.
Thistle, who as well as having the worst defensive record have scored the fewest goals in the top flight, do not make it easy on themselves but nonetheless claimed an important win.
Post-match reaction
Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald: "Delighted to get the three points after a disappointing outing at Dundee last weekend. We got a reaction from the lads today and got the result I thought we deserved.
"We still looked very fragile, we got a wee bit deep. That happens when you've not won a lot of games but delighted to get the clean sheet and see it out.
"It's not a massive thing (not to be bottom) it just lets the players enjoy their Christmas. Not that we're out of the woods but it just gives everybody a better feeling."
Hamilton Academical boss Martin Canning: "I don't think it would've been nicking a point if we'd got it. First half I didn't think we did well enough. Too many, maybe three or four, not as at-it as we need to be to win games away from home.
"Second half was different. I thought we controlled it, we were the better team. We had three or four blocked on the line, forced a good save, hit the bar - everything but score.
"I felt if we'd got one we could've gone on to win the game. But you can't not have your full team turning up in the first half in a big game."
Line-ups
Partick Thistle
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Cerny
- 5KeownBooked at 80mins
- 13Barton
- 15Devine
- 16McGinn
- 19Edwards
- 37WoodsSubstituted forMcCarthyat 79'minutes
- 11Lawless
- 7Spittal
- 9DoolanSubstituted forSammonat 85'minutes
- 10ErskineSubstituted forStoreyat 65'minutesBooked at 66mins
Substitutes
- 12Scully
- 17Nitriansky
- 18Sammon
- 20Nisbet
- 24McCarthy
- 39Storey
Hamilton
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Woods
- 89Sarris
- 5Tomas
- 3McMann
- 8Docherty
- 10RedmondBooked at 53minsSubstituted forCrawfordat 63'minutes
- 18MacKinnon
- 7Imrie
- 22LyonSubstituted forGogicat 84'minutes
- 20RojanoSubstituted forBinghamat 63'minutes
- 16Templeton
Substitutes
- 6Gillespie
- 9Bingham
- 11Crawford
- 12Fulton
- 13Gogic
- 21Donati
- 28Cunningham
- Referee:
- Bobby Madden
- Attendance:
- 2,912
Match Stats
Home TeamPartick ThistleAway TeamHamilton
- Possession
- Home43%
- Away57%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away1
- Corners
- Home4
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Partick Thistle 1, Hamilton Academical 0.
Post update
Conor Sammon (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Alexander Gogic (Hamilton Academical).
Post update
Foul by Miles Storey (Partick Thistle).
Post update
Georgios Sarris (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Danny Devine (Partick Thistle).
Post update
Dougie Imrie (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by David Templeton (Hamilton Academical).
Post update
Danny Devine (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Ali Crawford (Hamilton Academical).
Post update
Niall Keown (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Partick Thistle. Conor Sammon replaces Kris Doolan.
Substitution
Substitution, Hamilton Academical. Alexander Gogic replaces Darren Lyon.
Post update
Steven Lawless (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Darren Lyon (Hamilton Academical).
Post update
Corner, Hamilton Academical. Conceded by Miles Storey.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Rakish Bingham (Hamilton Academical) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Booking
Niall Keown (Partick Thistle) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
David Templeton (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
