Lee Kilday was Hamilton Accies’ hero as he earned them a hard-fought Championship win over Partick Thistle at New Douglas Park.
The defender headed in his first goal of the season in 56 minutes, moving Accies fifth in the table.
But it was far from straight-forward, with Thistle giving as good as they got for large parts of the game.
It wasn’t exactly a classic in the first half, but there were chances.
Accies striker Oli Shaw should have put his side ahead after mugging Aaron Muirhead nine minutes before the break, and Jamie Barjonas twice put shots just over the bar.
At the other end Brian Graham struck a post, and Harry Milne and Kyle Turner both forced saves from Accies keeper Dean Lyness.
The game somewhat livened up in the second half and Accies took the lead 10 minutes in through Kilday.
Thistle threw everything they had at Hamilton as they searched for an equaliser, with Graham seeing a shot well saved, and Turner sending a shot just over.
Hamilton head coach John Rankin made four changes from the side that drew 3-3 at Raith Rovers last weekend. Barry Maguire, Lee Kilday, Jamie Barjonas and Euan Henderson came in for Reghan Tumilty, Dare Olufunwa, Stephen Hendrie and Ben Williamson.
Thistle boss Kris Doolan stuck with the side that beat Dunfermline 1-0 last Saturday.
Jamie Barjonas sent a shot over the top left corner in 10 minutes, following good set-up play by Oli Shaw and Connor Smith.
Barjonas sent a dipping shot narrowly over the bar in 18 minutes as Accies continued to threaten.
At the other end, Kyle Turner had a shot well parried by Dean Lyness n the Hamilton goal.
Oli Shaw mugged Aaron Muirhead just outside the box in 36 minutes, but Myles Roberts spread himself well to save.
Brian Graham hit the left post with a header moments later.
Harry Milne had a shot well saved at the left post by Lyness in 39 minutes.
Smith teed up Scott Martin for a shot at goal in 43 minutes, but his angled shot flew past the left post.
Martin went on a run in 52 minutes, but his shot was comfortably saved by Roberts at the right post.
But Hamilton took the lead in 55 minutes when Kilday headed in a Smith free kick.
Graham saw a shot well parried past the right post in 63 minutes following a good Thistle move.
Turner sent a shot dipping just over the bar in 66 minutes as Thistle tried to pull level.
Thistle sub Ben Stanway tried his luck with a shot from distance in 81 minutes, but saw it fly past the left post.
Accies hit Thistle on the counter-attack in the last minute, with Smith and Martin, but they passed back to sub Nikolay Todorov, who fired well over.
At the other end, Robbie Crawford saw a curling shot brilliantly pushed over by Lyness.
HAMILTON: Lyness, Maguire, Kilday, McGinty, Martin, Barjonas, Henderson (Bradley, 71), Longridge, Smith (Williamson, 90+3), Shaw (Todorov, 88), O’Hara.
Subs (not used): Stafford (GK), Tumilty, Morgan, Hendrie
PARTICK THISTLE: Roberts, McBeth (Chalmers, 55), Muirhead, O’Reilly, Megwa, Turner (Diack, 81(, Crawford, Fitzpatrick, Milne, Graham, Ablade (Stanway, 32)
Subs (not used): McCready (GK), Nilsson, Smith, Sayers, Ashcroft, Lyon
Bookings: Muirhead (36), Milne (53), O’Reilly (85), Megwa (88)
Referee: David Dickinson
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