Partick Thistle v Saints preview

Last updated : 24 April 2014 By Stuart Gillespie

Last week we ensured we didn't waste the terrific comeback against Motherwell by taking care of Hibs. It could have been a lot more comfortable than 2-0 had we not had our captain sent off, but we coped relatively easily what little threat Hibs posed us after the break. The last two games suggest we are indeed up for the fight, something that was missing against St Johnstone a month or so ago. We have to keep that attitude until we get over the line - we can't afford to think the job is done until it's impossible for us to be caught. The players and the fans need to keep showing the same passion, commitment and effort because that's the only way we're going to avoid the play-offs.

We are of course at the stage where every game is a must win match. Every point we pick up helps our chances of avoiding the dreaded second bottom slot and hurts our rivals. We have to win tomorrow and keep winning to ensure it isn't ourselves that see our season extended. It's the closest game we'll have and there is going to be a huge turn out of fans from both sides, desperate to see their side record another victory and edge slightly further away from the dreaded second bottom spot.

Last time we went to Firhill we gubbed Thistle, although it's debatable whether we deserved to win by such a margin. Whatever, we got the three points and we could do with that sort of result - if not the performance - tomorrow.  The games between now and the end of the season are all winnable as we're playing teams round about us, who are all as bad/good as each other. We have to go into these games with the mentality they are there to be won, rather than not to be lost, if we want to haul ourselves to safety. As I said earlier, we have to show the same desire we demonstrated last week if we're to have any hope of doing that.

Thanks to the SFA's fast-track appeals procedure we can field Jim Goodwin - even though his appeal hasn't been heard! For some reason the panel doesn't meet until next week, meaning he's allowed out to play tomorrow night. Quite how that one works remains to be seen but if he is to be suspended I'd rather have him available for tomorrow's game considering Ross County boss Derek Adams has an obsession with him which could create a few problems for us next week. As he's going to start it'll probably be the same outfield team that featured against Hibs.

It was a bit of a surprise to see Christopher Dilo keep his place last week with Marian Kello back at full fitness. However, aside from a few passbacks, he coped well and handled what Hibs threw at him - which admittedly wasn't a lot. After that display it would be rather harsh if he was dropped so he will probably stay in the team for tomorrow. John McGinn, Steven Thompson and Paul McGowan were all subbed last week purely because they were knackered - a similar shift from them and the rest of the team tomorrow night is required if we're to pick up three points.

The Jags went into the post-split fixtures pretty much where they were expected to be - battling relegation. Yes, Alan Archibald's side got the season off to a great start and there was fanciful talk they could make the top six, but that turned out to be misplaced. It's something a lot of teams have when they come up as other teams don't know how to cope with them initially - I even remember a rotten Dunfermline side doing well early in the season. Now the aim is to avoid the play-off and they got that quest off to a good start last week when they saw off Kilmarnock. Their home form is poor but worryingly we're usually more than willing to help out in such situations!

Thistle had the problem most newly promoted sides have in that they didn't have a regular goalscorer (a problem Ross County still haven't solved nearly two years on). Bringing Lyle Taylor in on loan in January partly fixed that. He has proven better than  most of the strikers Thistle had in the first half of the season, although Kris Doolan did a decent job and seems to have rediscovered his form of late. Kallum Higginbotham also seems to have picked up his form since Taylor arrived and has chipped in with some handy goals and assists, including one last week, although Christie Elliott hasn't had much chance to shine in the top flight.

Someone else who is helpful on the goals and assists front is Chris Erskine. He came back on loan in January after a disappointing stint at Dundee United and has shown the talent he has. He seems to be a bit of a mercurial player who blows hot and cold, but he also seems to have had more good days than bad ones since he went back to the Jags. Prince Bauben, who is on loan from Carlisle, has also been terrific to the extent the Jags fans are keen for him to stay put next season. He has made up for the injuries to Isaac Osbourne and Sean Walsh, although Thistle fans probably weren't too disappointed when Mark Kerr was punted in January. Gary Fraser has been good in midfield while first division winners Steven Lawless, James Craigen and Stuart Bannigan all look as if they should be playing in the top flight next season even if Thistle aren't. George Moncur is another loanee but the man from West Ham has only played once

The Thistle defence will feature a reminder of just how odd our transfer activity has been this season. Wherever you fall on the Lee Mair debate, you have to admit letting one of our few defenders go and not bringing in a replacement was a rather strange move. Letting that defender go to one of your relegation rivals is even stranger. Since he pitched up at Firhill Mair has helped steady a defence that had some talented players but was lacking an experiencied, calming head. Conrad Balatoni seems to be Archibald's preferred option to put with Mair instead of Aaron Muirhead, who admittedly has been injured, or the rather shaky Gabriel Piccolo. Aaron Taylor-Sinclair will surely be on his way to bigger things in the summer after impressing at leftback, while Jordan McMillan should play at rightback with Stephen O'Donnell injured. Scott Fox has had an impressive season in goal but seems to have been dropped lately to let former Saint Paul Gallacher have a shot.

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