JAGS star Kevin McKinlay has warned his team-mates that Dundee are far from out of the Irn-Bru First Division title race.

Thistle's hard-fought 1-1 draw with the Dens Park team maintained a six-point lead over them but, crucially, Dundee have two games in hand over the Firhill men.

While Jocky Scott's side have the opportunity to narrow the gap with Thistle to three points at Ross County tomorrow, Thistle will be inactive.

"Dundee are a decent side and I don't think they are out of it by any manner of means," said McKinlay, pictured below.

"With Jocky Scott in charge, they have a really experienced manager who has seen it all, and that will be a plus for them in the run-in.

"I think that was why it was so important we didn't lose against them at Firhill last Sunday. They may not be out of it but the fact is, although they still have two games in hand on us, they are still six points adrift, and they have a game less to catch us.

"However, if they win up at County tomorrow, they will fancy their chances of catching us and St Johnstone. The fact that our last game is at Dens Park could make that a really interesting one."

The international break has given Thistle a weekend off at a time when Ian McCall's 17-man squad was being stretched to its limits by injury.

However, Liam Buchanan has returned to light training this week and is scheduled to get back on to the paddock in earnest next week, while Simon Donnelly has also returned to full fitness.

Although he says confidence is high for the visit to Perth, McKinlay admits that a point at McDiarmid would be more than acceptable.

The Jags star said: "A point wouldn't be the worst at St Johnstone, given they then have Dunfermline at home and away in the same week.

"With Dunfermline having lost to Ross County on Tuesday, the St Johnstone games will be representing a last-chance saloon for them, and I think they will be well capable of taking points off Saints.

"Although we will be going to Perth looking for the win, the main thing for us is that we don't lose."

The player added: "We have taken seven points from our last nine, with two of these being away at Ross County and Dunfermline and then the game with Dundee at Firhill, and I think that before we played these games, if anyone had said we would manage that then we would have taken it.

"On top of that, we are unbeaten in six games on the road since the turn of the year, so although St Johnstone will represent a big threat to that record, we will be going to McDiarmid Park with confidence."

McKinlay admits he is desperate to add to his two-goal tally over the six game run-in.

The 23-year-old said: "The gaffer has been encouraging me to get up the park as much as I can when I have been coming off the bench.

"I know I have scored just two goals this season, and that has been frustrating but, when you are coming on as a sub, it puts extra pressure on you to produce.

"It was great to get the goal against Dundee and I'm hoping that maybe with me giving the extra attacking threat, then I might be in with a shout of a start at McDiarmid Park. It is a massive game and these are the ones you want to play in."