PARTICK THISTLE have led the way in the Irn-Bru First Division this term with their own brand of free-flowing football.

But interim boss Alan Archibald is quite happy for the Jags to win ugly at the business end of the campaign.

Thistle cut the gap to league leaders Morton to just five points with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Hamilton Accies in midweek and head into tomorrow's clash at home to Airdrie aiming to keep up the pressure at the top of the table.

They still have two games in hand over their main title rivals and Archibald admits it is points, not performances, that matter most.

He said: "It felt fantastic to win on Tuesday night. It was satisfying to win 1-0.

"It was pleasing we were able to see the game out.

"We have had a couple of hiccups, like Livingston away where we were winning 2-1 with two minutes to go and were still trying to score another one and we ended up drawing.

"That was still in the back of my mind. It was a positive that we ground it out on Tuesday. We kept the ball in the corner and I don't mind that.

"To win leagues, you need to do that so I was delighted.

"I think they have definitely learned from it. We have Steven Craig trying to drum it into them all the time.

"He won the league with Ross County last year. They were a good team and they found a way to win.

"We are saying that all the time and encouraging them.

"It is about winning, that is all that matters at this time of the season.

"It is not about how we play, it is just about getting the three points."

While Thistle are expected to record their second Firhill triumph of the season over the Diamonds, Morton face a Dunfermline side eager to haul themselves back into promotion contention after a recent form slump.

The title race looks set to go down to the wire and Thistle's interim boss knows they can't afford to slip up.

"All we can do is take care of what we are doing. If we don't win then there is no point in us looking at Morton's results," Archibald said.

"The main thing is that we go out and win.

"Win the game, deal with that first and then see what happens.

"But I think some people are being disrespectful to other teams in the league. We've 42 points to play for and every team in the league is going to have a say in how it finishes.

"Bottom can beat top just as easily as top can beat bottom. There's a long, long way to go."