 Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald is monitoring the fitness of a couple of unnamed players ahead of Dundee's Firhill visit. The Jags manager was playing his cards close to his chest in the build-up to the Scottish Premiership game with Paul Hartley's men but admitted fatigue was the issue troubling the mystery pair. Definitely missing out, however, are Mustapha Dumbuya (Achilles), Ryan Scully (shoulder), Stuart Bannigan and Gary Fraser (both knee). Callum Booth believes Partick Thistle's prayers were finally answered when the Jags ended their seven-game wait for a win. Archibald's side restored some festive cheer to the Maryhill ranks after picking up their first win since late October with Friday's 3-1 win over Ross County. But Booth hopes the 'divine intervention' does not end there. Jags suffered all manner of setbacks during their barren spell, despite producing a number of creditable performances. And frustrated full-back Booth admits that miserable sequence left him looking to the heavens. Now he is hoping their payback does not end with that Staggies win. He went on: "That win on Friday made Christmas so much better - three points was the gift we had all been wanting. We'd had seven games where we had played not too bad but just hadn't finished our chances or had conceded last-minute goals. I kept thinking our luck has got to change. There has to be a football god up there and if he is, things will come good. Thankfully that happened at County but I think we're still due a lot of luck and a lot of breaks, maybe a few last-minute winners between now and the end of the season. I did feel at times the luck was against us this season. It was getting a bit depressing for everyone around the club. But one win has changed the mood here, especially with it being just before Christmas. It has put everyone in such a good spirit and the place is a lot happier now. We're now sitting in a decent position in the table with two home games to come before the winter break, so hopefully we can start being positive and look up the table." Dundee midfielder Nicky Low remains ruled out with a groin strain for tonight's game while defender James McPake is still not ready to feature for the first team as he works his way back from a serious knee injury. Manager Hartley is looking forward to getting another chance to show how far his Dundee team have come in recent weeks. His side hit rock bottom with a 2-0 home loss to Partick Thistle on 26 October, their sixth consecutive defeat which left them three points adrift at the foot of the Scottish Premiership. However, they travel to Firhill in seventh place after picking up four wins in the intervening two months. Hartley said: "It (the loss to Partick) was the low point but it's been a turning point for us. We know we were bad that night and didn't perform, but we spoke to the players, changed everything: the system, the style how we played. And there has been a terrific response from the team." |
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