‘Twas the Saturday before the Christmas and all through the Firhill house, absolutely everything was stirring, even the mouse, as Partick Thistle put their followers through the usual, gasping, nail-nibbling wringer. In the end, though, Niall Keown’s first half goal proved decisive as the Jags held on, grimly at times, for a valuable three points which hauled them off the foot of the table. Alan Archibald will be carving the Christmas Day turkey with a bit more sprightly vigour after this.

The Partick Thistle manager seemed to be the calmest man in the stadium while all around were working themselves into a frightful state as the clock ticked down.

“Overall, I felt fairly comfortable,” he declared. “I actually felt more comfortable in the last five minutes than I did during the first 15 of the second half because that’s when Hamilton really came at us.We knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. But the important thing was to keep a clean sheet and get over the line, because the boys have taken a bit of a battering recently.

“But it’s just the start of a big week because we’re away to Aberdeen and then have a huge game at home against Ross County. The players will be off on Christmas Day and then back in on Boxing Day to prepare. They know not to eat too much and look after themselves”

Hamilton, with David Templeton pulling one or two strings, looked lively early on but in the season of giving, it was the hosts who were handed a chance on a plate when Scott McMann’s poor header sent Chris Erskine scampering free only for McCann to redeem himself with a vital toe as the Thistle man had a shot. It was a crisp, competitive tussle with a few challenges that were meatier than a festive five bird roast. Hamilton kept pressing and Dougie Imrie’s header was brilliantly clawed away by a lunging Tomas Cerny before Keown got a touch on Rojano’s follow up to divert it over the bar. Keown would get an even more telling blow on the ball moments later. With the Hamilton defence dozing as Martin Woods’ corner zipped into the box, Keown sneaked in at the back post and clattered a cushioned volley into the net.

The howls of joy had barely subsided when Thistle thrust forward again and Blair Spittal almost doubled the lead with a searing drive that flirted with the target. The hosts had toiled away admirably to claw themselves back into the match after Hamilton’s early menacing raids and they were very much on the ascendancy as the half drew to a close.

That upsurge in Thistle’s fortunes almost brought a second goal after the resumption as Erskine’s cross on the angle clipped the bar.

The introduction of Ali Crawford and Rakish Bingham injected Hamilton with renewed purpose as Thistle found themselves on the back foot. With the home side struggling to clear their lines, a ricochet landed at the feet of Templeton and his thunderous shot was superbly saved by Cerny. It was hearts in the mouth time again for Thistle with 12 minutes left when the inventive, industrious Templeton unleashed a terrific drive which rattled off the bar.

There were scrambles, hoofed clearances and a penalty claim in the Thistle box from a Bingham shot but the hosts clung on. “We had three or four chances that you’re wondering how they didn’t go in,” lamented Martin Canning, the Hamilton manager. “I thought it was a penalty but it was a break we didn’t get.”