Archibald happy to be in the top six mix

Partick Thistle's battle for a top-six spot in the Premiership is going to the wire but boss Alan Archibald admits he would have taken that after such a poor start to the season.

The Maryhill men started the campaign with a 10-game winless run in all competitions and the 1-0 home defeat to Dundee on September 12 left them bottom of the table with just three points from seven matches.

However, with one fixture remaining before the split, the Jags are in seventh place and on Saturday they travel to Ross County.

The Dingwall outfit are one of six teams - including Motherwell, St Johnstone, Dundee and Inverness - who are in the mix for a top-half finish, which Archibald contrasted with the first few months of the campaign.

The former Jags defender said: "We are on course to progress from last season when we were eighth but it will still be tough.

"After the first quarter everyone had written us off as looking like relegation certainties.

"Eighth looked a long way away at that period to be honest with you.

"I think everybody in this league has had a bad run and ours came at the start of the season but the lads showed character to get out of that trouble.

"To have a chance to get into the top six was the aim at the start of the week and I am delighted we have done that.

"Unfortunately it is not in our own hands, we need to rely on others but it just makes you even more determined to get that victory.

"You don't want to reflect back and say 'what if', if we don't win and other teams lose.

"I think there is (a twist to come). That is the crazy thing about this league.

"Everybody has an incentive and I don't think there will be anyone playing kids or giving anyone a rest.

"So it is great for the league and everyone looking in."

Archibald was pleased that "consistent" defender Callum Booth this week signed a new deal to keep him at the club for another two years.

He said: "He nearly lost his way after breaking through at Hibs as a young lad but has come back.

"He is now nearly first pick on the team sheet and he has made that left-back position his own."