KEVIN McKINLAY has demanded his Partick Thistle mates plunder three points from Morton this evening or see their promotion dream hit the skids.

McKinlay was one of the few Jags players to impress in a left-wing berth during the weekend's damaging defeat to Ross County.

The faltering Maryhill side are now nine points adrift of leaders St Johnstone and heading for Greenock this evening before facing a visit from fast- improving Clyde on Saturday.

The ex-Chelsea kid has targeted a six-point haul from the two games and said: "We have got to take three points from the Morton game tonight and then do the same when Clyde come to Firhill on Saturday.

"I don't know what happened with Ross County as we seemed a bit flat. But we have got to provide an immediate response.

"We are now nine points behind St Johnstone and this is our game in hand so it vital we get the win. But I think if we want to stay in contention it needs to be six points from the next two games."

He went on: "But Morton are a bit like ourselves in that they had been going well and then lost at Airdrie and they will be determined to bounce back with a win over us. So there is no question we are going to have to lift our game."

The left-sided Thistle ace has nailed down a starting place in the Jags first team where his versatility has seen him appear at wing-back and winger on the left flank and as an auxiliary striker.

The 22-year-old is hoping discussions on a new deal to keep him at Firhill will soon be forthcoming.

McKinlay said: "My contract is up at the end of the season and I'd love to stay on with Thistle but we haven't started any talks yet.

"My target this season was to find some consistency and stay in the team on an extended basis and I have achieved that and really enjoyed that.

"But I'd like to get things sorted out sooner rather than later. I feel like I have progressed quite a bit this season and I am just hoping the gaffer sees it that way and will fancy handing me a new deal."

But as he took stock of Thistle's third defeat on the bounce against County, McKinlay admitted that Derek Adams' side pose the Jags a style challenge they have not been able to handle.

He said: "I don't know what the problem is with playing Ross County. Maybe it is just their style of play in that they invite you on and can hit you hard on the break.

"But the big thing is that you can't allow them to score first or you will be in trouble. We have played them three times this season and they have scored first every time and we haven't even managed a reply and that is hard to swallow.

"The good thing about this league is that any one side can beat another on a given day so up above us we know that St Johnstone will lose points along the way. But they are on a 14-game unbeaten run and it is going to maybe take something similar to catch them.

"But you would have to say that apart from the first half of the Alba Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to Airdrie we have fronted up well at Firhill.

"So one bad performance doesn't mean we are a bad team and it's good we have the chance to prove that straight away."