Hamilton FC vs Partick Thistle preview - Quartet absent for Accies

Posted Friday, November 16, 2012 by PA

Hamilton will be missing four players for the visit of league leaders Partick.

Full-back Stephen Hendrie joins injured attacking duo Kieran Millar and Jon McShane on the sidelines, while skipper Alex Neil is suspended.

The New Douglas Park side defeated the Jags in the Scottish Communities League Cup earlier this season and manager Billy Reid believes his side can take confidence from that game.

"Thistle are making a serious promotion bid this season and were very impressive when they beat Dunfermline 5-1 last Saturday but we can beat them," he said.

"We can go into the game knowing that and with confidence from a very solid performance and win at Morton last Saturday. We will have to dig deep to get a good result and hopefully we will."

Partick look set to give a debut to goalkeeper Graeme Smith after Scott Fox was ruled out until January with a thigh injury.

Smith was recruited this week after a spell in Azerbaijan. Steven Craig will be missing through suspension and the Jags will be without Sean Welsh, who has an ankle problem and on-loan Celtic winger Paul Slane who has a hip problem.

The effervescent Stuart Bannigan has returned to training after ankle ligament damage quicker than expected and he could make a return to playing action if he has suffered no adverse reaction.

Firhill manager Jackie McNamara is looking to build on a positive result against Dunfermline.

He said: "To beat Dunfermline 5-1 was a great result and now we have to build on it at a ground that has not been a happy hunting ground in the past."