Media caption,

Jake Young's goal proved vital for St Mirren against Partick Thistle

ByClive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

St Mirren stay on course for a cup double - and a rematch with Celtic - after surviving a testing Partick Thistle fightback to move into the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

A controversial Dan Nlundulu penalty and a Jake Young strike gave the League Cup winners a comfortable half-time lead.

Ben Stanway gave the Championship side a lifeline with a stunning drive, but the top-tier hosts held on to end a five-game wait for a victory and reach their first Scottish Cup semi-final since 2021.

Unable to extend their seven-game unbeaten run, second-tier Thistle's 22-year wait for a place in the last four continues.

Stanway, who replaced cup-tied St Mirren midfielder Oisin Smyth in Thistle's starting line-up, and home counterpart Mark O'Hara had both been denied by a post in a blistering opening few minutes.

The game burst into life again just after the hour mark when Keanu Baccus' cross struck Robbie Crawford's arm just inside the penalty box.

It looked to have deflected off the Thistle midfielder's foot first, but after referee David Dickenson was sent to the monitor by the video assistant referee (VAR), a penalty was given.

Nlundulu side-footed home and then set up the second after Phillips pounced on a slack Thistle pass inside their own half, setting up strike partner Young to drive home his second goal in two games past Josh Clarke.

Considering the on-loan Celtic goalkeeper had also saved well from Declan John and Phillips, St Mirren deserved to be ahead at half-time.

However, counterpart Shamal George immediately had to turn wide a shot from Alex Samuel as a fired up Thistle came out after the break.

The pressure told when Stanway volleyed home from the edge of the penalty box from a corner, but St Mirren ground their way to a victory that means they join Celtic, Dunfermline Athletic and Falkirk in the semi-finals.

Analysis: Buddies turning point? Thistle positives

Media caption,

Were Partick Thistle hard done-by with penalty?

St Mirren's season has been on downward curve since that surprise 3-1 win over Celtic in December's League Cup final.

Stephen Robinson's side will hope that another trip to Hampden, where they will face Celtic again, can be a turning point in the opposite direction.

Third-bottom of the Premiership just three points above Kilmarnock in the relegation play-off spot after Tuesday's defeat at Dundee United thanks to an own goal and penalty, they were desperately hoping for a stroke of luck.

They got it, and only their fourth win in 16 outings, in the shape of a questionable penalty and a backs-to-the-wall effort in the closing stages.

Thistle will be disappointed that their second-half effort did not produce what might have been a merited shot at victory in extra time, but Mark Wilson and his side will be able to take some positives back into their promotion campaign.

Now eight points behind leaders St Johnstone, albeit with a game in hand, they have work to do if they are to win the title and automatic promotion.

But they will surely fancy their chances should they progress to the play-off final and another meeting with a Premiership side.

Media caption,

Stanway strike hauls Partick Thistle back into tie

What they said

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "If you're going to win a cup, you have to beat Celtic or Rangers at some stage - so why not?

"There's a belief that we can do it. We need to be the best version of ourselves, that we haven't been in recent weeks.

"We found a way to win tonight. We have an opportunity to go to Hampden, which for this football club is incredible.

"We've got injuries galore. Marcus Fraser is out for eight weeks, Mika Mandron is out for six or eight weeks and Kion Etete got injured in the warm-up - so we had no strikers to bring on. But we found a way."

Media caption,

Stephen Robinson reacts as his side reach Scottish Cup semi-final

Partick Thistle manager Mark Wilson: "I'm incredibly proud. I thought we were terrific from minute one.

"We were going along pretty nicely in the game and then a decision I just can't get my head round.

"I am being told at half-time that the rules have slightly changed from the fourth official.

"The ball hits Crawford's foot on to his hand and his hand's tucked in. For a penalty kick, I thought, if it came off one part of your body and hit your hand, it wasn't a penalty.

"If they are telling me the rules have changed, they should make that clearer."

What's next?

It is back to league business, with St Mirren hosting Rangers next Sunday (12:00 GMT) in the top flight and Thistle visiting Greenock Morton in the Championship live on BBC Scotland on Friday (19:45).

Player of the match

Number: 26 B. Stanway
Average rating 9.80
Number: 24 D. John
Average Rating: 5.90
Number: 6 M. O'Hara
Average Rating: 5.80
Number: 1 S. George
Average Rating: 5.73
Number: 25 K. Baccus
Average Rating: 5.70
Number: 14 D. Nlundulu
Average Rating: 5.50
Number: 21 M. Freckleton
Average Rating: 5.36
Number: 8 J. Devaney
Average Rating: 5.17
Number: 13 A. Gogić
Average Rating: 5.09
Number: 3 S. Tanser
Average Rating: 5.00
Number: 88 K. Phillips
Average Rating: 4.90
Number: 20 J. Young
Average Rating: 4.80
Number: 7 R. Idowu
Average Rating: 4.80
Number: 22 M. Fraser
Average Rating: 4.73
Number: 2 J. Richardson
Average Rating: 4.70
Number: 5 R. King
Average Rating: 4.70
Number: 17 J. Calvin
Average Rating: 4.17

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.