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Hibernian head coach David Gray praised his players after victory over Partick Thistle in the Premier Sports Cup capped a memorable week. Owen Elding’s 12th-minute strike in an entertaining tie was enough to see the Leith side progress to the quarter-finals. Hibs should have been out of sight after passing up several gilt-edged chances to add to their lead and had to withstand late Thistle pressure late on. But after beating Rangers in the Premiership last Sunday and getting past Shkendija in the Conference League in North Macedonia on Thursday, Gray was delighted with his team’s output amid a demanding run. Gray, whose attention now turns to Thursday’s Conference League play-off first leg at Gent, said: “It turned into a classic cup tie you would say. “Firstly, that result sums up a fantastic week for the football club. “When you think back to the efforts and everything we’ve put in this week. “Winning at Ibrox, going away to North Macedonia, dealing with the heat, dealing with the different atmosphere against a really good side, getting through that tie and making sure we’re in the next round. “Then coming back again against a good side, it was an opportunity for Partick to come and have a real go, which I thought they would do and which they certainly did. “We started really well on the front foot and it was everything I asked them to do, we were really physical and created a lot of chances.” Thistle head coach Mark Wilson insists his players can be pleased with their efforts, despite admitting that they looked overawed by the occasion in the first half. Wilson, who had no complaints over the VAR decision to overturn a second-half penalty for his side, said: “I don’t think we started the game particularly well. “We conceded a goal in that time and against Premiership sides that’s often the case. “But I thought as the half grew on, we got a wee bit better. “In the second half I thought we were excellent and I’m really pleased at how the boys went about it. “There were plenty of crosses and we obviously had to shout for the penalty. “In the first half we just looked a bit wowed by the situation playing at Easter Road and playing against a Premiership side. “At half time it was just kind of saying take the reins off and stop worrying about what could happen if you lose the ball. “We weren’t getting enough bodies forward and then I thought the second half reflected pretty much what we play like most weeks. So I was pleased with that. “You always take a bit of pride when Championship sides go to a Premiership club and show that they can mix it. “But the quality at the top end of the pitch is probably the difference at that level.”