Partick Thistle 2-0 Hamilton Academical

Partick Thistle negotiated their way through to the Scottish Cup last 16 for the first time in four years thanks to a double from Ryan Stevenson.

The former Hearts midfielder blasted a volley past Hamilton goalkeeper Michael McGovern midway through the first half.

Kallum Higginbotham knocked over a close-range chance to make it 2-0.

After the break, Stevenson doubled the Jags' advantage, side-footing from 12 yards, and Accies' Dougie Imrie was sent off in the dying minutes.

Stevenson's first goal since joining the club in the summer came from a 19th-minute corner to the back post.

Gary Fraser's delivery was missed by everyone except Stevenson, who had time to tee the ball up before firing a volley high into the roof of the net, a stunning strike to brighten up a damp afternoon in Glasgow's Maryhill.

The home side should have doubled their advantage within two minutes. Higginbotham found himself with an open goal just three yards from goal but fired the ball high over the crossbar when it looked much simpler to score.

The goal seemed to knock Hamilton off their stride, with much of the passing football they have become associated with absent from their play.

Jake Carroll is up-ended by Hamilton's Dougie Imrie, who was sent off for the challenge

There was little noticeable improvement from them at the start of the second period and the home side doubled their lead in style eight minutes into the second period.

Higginbotham picked the ball up on the left and skipped past Ziggy Gordon's sliding challenge before slipping a clever ball up the wing to the advancing full-back Jake Carroll.

The on-loan Huddersfield cut it back to Stevenson, who had held his run near the penalty spot, and he produced a clinical side-foot finish past McGovern.

Hamilton rarely troubled Paul Gallacher in the Thistle goal, with his defence blocking the threats that came his way.

Accies had a couple of chances late on in the game. Jesus Garcia-Tena clipped the top of the crossbar from a free-kick and Gallacher did well to block a Darian MacKinnon shot with his legs.

Accies' frustration was further exacerbated with just two minutes left when Imrie was shown a straight red card by referee Kevin Clancy after a lunge on Carroll.

But this was Thistle's day as they progressed to Monday afternoon's fifth-round draw.