DEVINE: WE’LL CASH IN IF MOTHERWELL HAVE FINAL ON THEIR MINDS
FOR Partick Thistle, a ‘must-win’ attitude on Tuesday night at Firhill is a given. All they need now is the visitors to turn up with a ‘must not get hurt’ approach.
While Thistle face a ferocious scrap for survival over the coming week — or two if they can’t escape a play-off — the mid-table men from Motherwell could be forgiven for looking beyond the league table.
They have their second cup final of the season against Celtic to look forward to and that means either one of two things are at play when they rock up in Maryhill.
Thistle defender Danny Devine figures that several of Stephen Robinson’s side will be out to impress to land a place in the Hampden starting line-up.
But he rather hopes there will be a serious slip in focus from the Fir Park team, allowing Thistle’s greater need for points to prevail in the penultimate game of the regular season.
A win over Hamilton then draws against St Johnstone and, on Friday, at home to Ross County have inched Thistle off the foot of the table.
‘Hopefully they are thinking about Hampden and the final,’ said Devine of the Steelmen. ‘But it can work against you. They will be looking to impress their manager and nail a spot down for the final.
‘It can work both ways. But we are hoping they come here and they are a little bit off it and trying to save themselves for Hampden. After a positive performance like the one against Ross County, it is something we can build on going into Tuesday.
‘They are a big side like Ross County and we know what we are going to get from them.
‘It is up to us to recover well and try to get the win.
‘We know the situation we are in. We are three unbeaten but it is a bit too late, we need wins and points. At least it isn’t all doom and gloom because Ross County are still below us.’
Chris Erskine handed Thistle a lead against County before Billy Mckay equalised three minutes before halftime, the 1-1 result doing little for either team’s survival prospects. ‘We have a bit of frustration after taking the lead and we are disappointed to lose the goal we did,’ said Devine.
‘It was important we didn’t lose and stayed above Ross County in the table.
‘Going into the next two games it has given us every chance to get ourselves out of this. I think, with the situation we’re in, we can’t always play pretty football.
‘But we have plenty of boys who like to get the ball down and pass it, so maybe we could do more of that.
‘On Friday we tended to play to their gameplan.
‘We have to be brave in these matches and show our character.’