Scottish Cup: Partick Thistle boss Alan Archibald praises Ryan Stevenson

Partick Thistle boss Alan Archibald said Ryan Stevenson's brace in the 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Hamilton Academicals was just reward for the player's hard work in training.

The 30-year-old's goals - his first since signing for the club from Hearts - put Partick in the fifth round for the first time in four years.

"He's been working ever so hard," said Archibald.

"We just thought we would go with something different because I don't think we hurt Aberdeen enough in the last game - we weren't clinical enough and we didn't penetrate enough in the final third.

"If he (Stevenson) keeps on performing and working hard more chances will come.

"I don't think he had the breaks earlier in the season, he was putting similar performances in but he just wasn't getting the rub of the green. So we're delighted today that he got the two goals, and he probably could have had a hat-trick.

"Even when he's not been playing he's been a good person to have around the club. When you go into the big games you need that bit of quality, and that's what Ryan brings."

With several SPL sides having already fallen by the wayside this season, Archibald admitted the prospect of an extended run in the competition was tantalising.

"We're delighted to be in the next round," he said.

"We stressed to the lads before the game how open the draw had been, so there would be a lot of good teams going out at this stage - and we stressed that we didn't want to be one of them. We wanted to be in the hat for Monday and we're delighted."

For Hamilton manager Alex Neil, there were few positives to take from his side's trip to Firhill.

"It's a mixture of disappointment and frustration really," Neil said.

"I thought we started the game well and we created a chance in the first couple of minutes, but I thought the first goal changed the game.

"After that Partick sat in and tried to hit us on the counter-attack and we controlled the ball but didn't really do enough with it which was the most disappointing thing.

"For how well we've been doing going forward we sort of flattered to deceive today I felt.

"We had a lot of the ball but just slack passing I thought let ourselves down."