Wright admits St Johnstone were a soft touch against Partick Thistle

St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright admitted his side made it far too easy for Partick Thistle to put a huge dent in their Premiership top-six ambitions.

The Perth men barely lifted a glove as Jags did the damage with a 2-1 win at McDiarmid Park after striking twice in the opening quarter of an hour.

Thistle defender Callum Booth was allowed to cut in from the left and drive past Alan Mannus from the edge of the box after six minutes.

And Saints failed to learn their lesson as Stevie Lawless strode forward from midfield to lash home the second seven minutes later.

Chris Kane pulled one back midway through the second half, but Wright - who watched his side battle to a draw against second-placed Aberdeen at the weekend - admitted the self-inflicted damage had already been done.

Saints, who have conceded 44 goals in just 27 games this term, fell to sixth spot as Partick climbed to seventh, sitting just two points behind both Dundee and Wright's team with two games in hand.

"I've just watched the first goal back and we've got to stop the shot from the edge of the box," said Wright. It was too easy. Both goals were too easy.

"The second was a poor decision in midfield. We went to ground too easy, didn't win the tackle and then don't close down on the edge of the box.

"It was two wonder strikes that won it for them the last time they were here but these were two we should have stopped quite easily.

"We had a great chance - for me the best chance of the whole game - when Graham Cummins went past the keeper but didn't take it.

"It's a disappointing night for us. During that spell when they scored their two goals we looked like a side that had been beaten by three on Saturday rather than a side that had fought for their lives to get a great point at Aberdeen.

"Little spells in games are killing us. Overall this season we've conceded far too many goals."

Thistle were well beaten by Motherwell on Saturday after going down 3-1 at Fir Park.

But boss Alan Archibald was thrilled with his side's hunger in the Fair City.

"It was a great first-half performance," he said. "All the things we weren't good at at the weekend - hunger, desire, playing at a real tempo - were there tonight.

"We were magnificent in the first half and we created a lot of chances.

"I've told the lads we should save some of those chances for other games. I thought we were sensational. It was a great response because Saturday was really poor.

That kind of desire could be the difference between us getting into the top six and not. I questioned the lads because Motherwell were hungrier than us at the weekend but we were great tonight."