Bannigan Targets Top Six

Photo by Jeff Holmes Partick midfielder Stuart Bannigan accept Thistle need to keep aiming high if they are to stay in touch with their top-six rivals. Alan Archibald's men are two points better off after 12 games than they were last season in eighth place - but still trail the upper half of the Scottish Premiership by five points. They have also scored five goals more and conceded one fewer than they had at this point 12 months ago. And Bannigan believes that proves the Jags are going places. The newly promoted Maryhill men only just survived being dragged into the relegation play-off battle at the end of their first season back in the top flight, but Scotland Under-21 cap Bannigan is setting his sights much higher this term. He said: "It is definitely possible to reach the top six. There is a wee bit of a gap opening up between the top six and the bottom six. But it can be bridged. "Teams are beating each other all the time. If we can put a run of wins together - which we haven't managed recently - that could move us right back into the leading pack. "If someone was to offer us safety now we would take that. But then again, you don't just want to be mediocre. We believe we can be much better than that. "We need to set our sights high. At least if it doesn't happen, you have tried your best for it." The 1-0 win over St Mirren a fortnight ago was just the third clean sheet Partick have kept on league duty this season - but it took Archibald's side until January to reach that figure last term. But Bannigan is in no doubt about who is behind this season's improvements. He said: "We are better this season, especially defensively. Big Dan Seaborne has come in there and has done great. He's a real leader. "We have also brought big Freddy Frans in. He's played two games and has been man of the match in both of them. "Good performances start with the defence. If you can keep clean sheets, you have got better chance of winning games." Thistle host Aberdeen on Sunday at Firhill and Bannigan reckons his side owe it to themselves to get one over on the League Cup holders. He said: "Aberdeen are definitely a side we have under-performed against. We played them three times last year and once this season, and in only one of those four have we really performed. "But we can beat them. We showed that last year when we won 3-1 at home. We just need to believe in ourselves and go out with a confidence that we can get that win."