Ian McCall is confident that his decision to name a bench almost entirely comprised of teenage academy prospects against Hamilton at the weekend was a ‘one-off’ as the Thistle manager prepares to welcome back a raft of first-team players.

Darren Brownlie, Cole McKinnon, Stevie Lawless, Scott Tiffoney, Brian Graham and Anton Dowds all missed the 1-0 defeat to Accies but the majority of the sextet will be available for selection for tomorrow’s encounter against Cove Rangers at Firhill – as will defender Connor McAvoy, who arrived on loan from Fulham on deadline day.

“Only Ross Docherty, Anton Dowds and Cammy Smith will be out but everyone else should be fit,” said McCall. “It was just a one-off.

“I still thought we played ever-so-well in the first half. We had one or two sniffs at goal and we had our best chances in the last five minutes. Young Zander [MacKenzie, who missed a late chance] is still gutted about it. But there weren’t many things we could do to change it.

“It was a one-off, we have not been bad in a wee while – not since that five-game losing run. We are always playing catch-up because of those five games and the squad at that point was absolutely decimated. Players were playing with injuries.

READ MORE: What we learned as Partick Thistle slip to frustrating defeat to Hamilton

“So that [the bench against Accies] was basically a freak. A lot of these boys, if the game had been Sunday or Monday even, they might have been involved. Hopefully it will be something nearer a full squad on Saturday.”

McCall expects McAvoy to be part of tomorrow’s squad and the Thistle manager was pleased to reinforce his defence for the second half of the campaign. The 20-year-old centre-back arrives at Firhill with the approval of Scotland Under-21s manager Scot Gemmill and the Jags had to beat top-flight opposition to the defender’s signature.

“We knew about him at the start of the season,” McCall explained. “We have had conversations about him and he actually turned down one of the clubs in the Premiership because he thought he had more chance of getting games here, which I think shows a lot about his character.

“I won’t bother lying, I’ve seen him play once but I spoke to quite a few people about him, including the Scotland Under-21s manager, who I hold in really high regard. He comes very highly recommended and he has just signed a new contract at Fulham. The one thing he has got is pace so we look forward to seeing him in action.”

Glasgow Times:

McAvoy was Thistle’s only January signing, while Lee Hodson’s loan was extended – thanks, in part, to a cash injection from The Jags Foundation. Tunji Akinola’s departure on a free transfer and Tony Weston’s loan being cut short also freed up some funds to allow McCall to change things up a little.

The transfer window may have slammed shut but Scottish clubs still have until the end of this month to bring in players from loan, so long as they already ply their trade here. McCall hasn’t given up on adding another attacker to aid his side’s push for promotion.

“I hope so,” he said. “I don’t know is the answer to that. We lost two players and that enabled us, along with the money The Jags Foundation put in, to extend Lee and bring in Connor. I would like to get one more boy in on loan, I think we need a wee bit of help at the top end of the pitch. But we’ll see.”