PARTICK THISTLE boss Dick Campbell reckons the Scottish Cup can continue to throw up shocks in the quarter-finals.

And he's hoping his players can produce one against the team that has caused the two major surprises in the competition already this season after the Jags came out of the hat with Dunfermline.

The Pars have now knocked Rangers and Hearts out of the Cup but Campbell is hoping the shoe will be on the other foot later this month when his First Division side travel to East End Park.

The Firhill boss said: "The Scottish Cup has served up a few surprises already and it goes without saying that I hope there is more to come in the next round.

"To be fair to Dunfermline, they have managed to eliminate Rangers and then they knocked out the holders, Hearts, at the weekend. So they've enjoyed some great results already in the competition.

"St Johnstone also managed to defeat Falkirk, and Queen of the South are the third First Division side to make it into the quarter-finals. I don't think many people would have predicted that at the start of the competition.

"But that's Cup football for you. If a team enjoys a good day then there is always the possibility they'll progress to the next round."

Campbell still lives in Fife and spent a large part of his career at the Pars, but that will count for nothing on Saturday, February 24 when he takes his Thistle team to his former club.

He added: "It's unquestionably a game we can win.

"I would have loved the tie to have been at Firhill for the sake of our fans, to give them a home game. But they'll travel through to Dunfermline in large numbers as they always do.

"Hopefully they'll inspire the players and we can reach the last four and set-up a semi-final at Hampden Park. That would be a fantastic achievement but we know we face a massive game against Dunfermline."

Thistle made sure of their place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Highland League outfit Deveronvale at Princess Royal Park.

A Jimmy Gibson goal after 30 minutes proved decisive but Campbell said: "I have nothing but praise for Deveronvale.

"I thought their fitness would go but it didn't and at 1-0 the game was never safe.

"The object of the exercise is to get into the next round of the competition and it doesn't matter how you get there - just as long as you do.

"Gibson is our captain and leads by example and it was a fantastic goal fit to win any game. I suppose it was a potential banana skin for us but we've managed to overcome it and now we can look forward to facing Dunfermline."

Jags midfielder Derek Young, like his manager, will also be playing against his former side in the next round.

He spent some time at the Pars after leaving Aberdeen but he was just pleased to overcome Deveronvale in the first place.

He said: "It was a tough game for us on Saturday. We dominated the first half but the second was a scruffy affair. We had a couple of chances but never killed the game off.

"Our passing game worked well and we've managed to progress safely into the next round, which was the objective."