Archibald hails fighting spirit as Jags aim to avoid the drop

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald is heartened by his players’ mentality and form as their survival quest reaches the critical stage.

Thistle will secure 11th place and a Ladbrokes Premiership play-off if they win at Dundee tomorrow, but anything less would see them relegated if Ross County beat St Johnstone in Perth.

The Jags saw Hamilton all but disappear out of sight when they lost 1-0 against Motherwell on Tuesday but Archibald retains faith in his players.

“What we have seen, especially since the split, is that they are fighting,” he said.

“We have never given up and have come from behind in a couple of games,” he added.

“The positive we can take is that we are creating chances. If we weren’t creating chances and had nothing in the final third then I’d be really, really concerned, but that’s got to turn because we created good opportunities the other night.”

Thistle may have to improve their defence of set-pieces to ensure they survive following a potential play-off against Livingston or Dundee United.

Four out of the last five goals they conceded came as a result of a set-piece and they have conceded goals from dead balls in seven of their last eight games.

“We are playing against bigger teams now. A lot of teams are going three at the back and it gives them three big lads to come up at set-plays,” Archibald said.

“And we have handled a lot of it, it has just been that one lapse in each game that has let us down.”