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Partick Thistle defender Callum Booth admits he’s about to take part in the biggest five matches of his career.
The 26-year-old still believes the Jags can win their fight against relegation and took some heart from their battling performance against Kilmarnock.
There was certainly effort from the Maryhill men but they’ve now gone 10 games without a win and are a point adrift at the foot of the table.
Booth said: “At least we had a performance, unlike Tuesday night at Ross County, but it’s still massively disappointing to be on the end of another defeat.
“We now have two weeks of a break and I’m sure the manager will be working on things.
“We’re still in there with a fighting chance.
“What we can’t do is allow this to be a one-off. We’ve been in this position before where we’ve played well and then not turned up the following week.
“I know some fans might not be too happy with the way things have been going but I think they saw the fight and desire that exists at the club.
“It’s vital everyone sticks together at this time.
“The next five games are the biggest in our careers, definitely in mine.
“We have shipped too many goals this season and we have to be better defensively.
“I don’t have too many worries about things up top – I think the goals will come.”
One defensive lapse was Partick Thistle’s downfall yesterday.
Killie were content to sit back early on and wait for the chance to exploit a home defence that has now conceded 57 goals.
The visitors came close to opening the scoring when a defence-splitting pass from Mulumbu sent Jones through.
Ryan Scully was quick off his line to block the winger’s shot and Elliot cleared Boyd’s follow-up effort.
The goal that settled the match was very simple and that irked home manager Alan Archibald.
Jones fired in a cross from the left and defender Stuart Findlay sent a close-range header into the net.
Archibald said: “We didn’t stand on Jones to stop the cross into the box.
“A lack of goals is a concern, but the bigger one for me is keeping them out.
“That gives us something to build on and if you can keep clean sheets then you give the lads confidence to go and nick a goal.
“The players didn’t hide, though, which is a good thing.
“We have guys who have been through relegation before and know how hard it is.”
Thistle looked most dangerous when they got their passing game going, but that didn’t happen often enough.
The Jags were known for their ability to fizz the ball about on the ground and that style convinced many fans that relegation wouldn’t be an issue this season.
These days too many of the passes are heading backwards or wide of their intended target.
It’s a clear sign of players short of confidence.
Kilmarnock certainly don’t have that problem.
They’ve now gone 10 league matches without defeat and that’s something they hadn’t previously achieved in the 21st Century.
There was never any panic in Steve Clark’s side when the opposition dominated possession for spells.
Connor Sammon failed to convert Thistle’s best chance, although he was denied by a fine save by Macdonald.
They’ve now gone 531 minutes without a goal.