Archibald vents his anger as backline buckles again

Alan Archibald admitted there was no case for the defence as Partick blew the chance to climb clear of the Premiership basement.

The Jags boss was left gutted as Eamonn Brophy grabbed a late point for Accies after Thistle had fought back from a Massimo Donati opener through Ryan Edwards and Liam Lindsay goals.

It’s now eight games without a win for the Firhill side and Archibald insists the draw which leaves them level on points with bottom side Dundee would have been a victory had they managed to bolt the backdoor shut.

He said: “The game was wide open, you wouldn’t think the two manager’s were centre-halves.

“It looked like a basketball game at times and it was frantic but credit to Hamilton as they kept going. It was a good display of fensively but defensively it was really poor.

“It’s always hard to take when you’re winning the game with 10 minutes to go.

“It took us to lose a goal to get going and turn the tide a bit. We had two crucial chances at 2-1 and we didn’t take them to put Hamilton to bed. It’s the same old story, we don’t take our chances and we don’t look like seeing the game out.

“I’ve seen it before a few years ago, we lose late goals and it creeps in.

“We need to have a mindset where we don’t let teams pass. found the side net. Accies midfielder Greg Docherty handled inside his own box but referee Greg Aitken opted to give Partick a corner as the Firhill fans screamed for a penalty.

All the attacking threats were coming from Accies and Alex D’Acol’s header was brilliantly tipped over the top by Scully in the 13th minute but it only delayed the opener.

Ali Crawford fired over the resultant corner and it was met at the front post by Donati who nodded Hamilton into the lead.

Kris Doolan had been recalled into the Thistle attack and the striker’s snapshot was kept out by Gary Woods as the home side almost snatched an instant reply. But it wasn’t long in arriving as Georgios Sarris made a hash of a clearance to allow Edwards to slam in the leveller from close range in the 22nd minute.

Accies should have got back in front before the half hour as Bingham raced clear only to poke an effort at Scully before D’Acol had a header defected over the bar by Booth moments later.

The Jags fightback was complete just seconds before the break, wing- play brilliance from Abdul Osman allowed him to bamboozle Gillespie and find space to dig out a cross which was bulleted home by Lindsay from a few yards out.

It could’ve been even better for Thistle straight from the restart as Doolan burst through the heart of Hamilton’s defence only to drag his shot inches wide of target.

The contest developed an ugly edge and there was a flaspoint as Imrie and Ziggy Gordon had to be separated as ref Aitken opted to diffuse the situation with stern words.

Jags’ Danny Devine almost sliced a clearance into his own net on the hour mark and was relieved to watch it sail just over as the relentless pace showed no sign of easing.

The arrival of sub Ade Azeez added more life to the home attack and h e wa s denied by a full- stretch stop f rom Woods in the 76th minute.

Accies would not be denied a point as sub Brophy left the Thistle defence for dead and buried a low shot past Scully eight minutes from time.

A late block from Scully denied Gramoz Kurtaj a late winner.