KRIS DOOLAN opened his Partick Thistle account against Queen of the South seven years ago and scored the first goal of what has become a successful Jags career.

Now the striker hopes to take another step towards becoming a Firhill centurion as he looks to shoot down the Doonhamers once again this afternoon.

Doolan is searching for his tenth strike against Queens when Alan Archibald’s side make their first home outing of the campaign in the Betfred Cup.

And the 29-year-old knows it could be a historic campaign in red and yellow if he can add another ten goals to his tally and reach a significant scoring milestone.

Doolan said: “I think for strikers you are looking to get off the mark as quickly as possible in a new season, so to do it in the first game was pleasing.

“I’m hunting down my 100th goal for the club and this is a big season for me. I’m hoping to keep up my scoring record for the club and I’d love to notch my 100th goal.

“Every season I go into I know I can take a big step to make the 100 and to get it would be a massive personal achievement.

“I put pressure on myself but I think that’s when I thrive and I know I can deliver when I’m put under pressure. I will make the 100th and I have no doubts about that – I can’t wait to put it in.

“When I look back 100 goals was way off but now it’s getting closer and closer. When I look back you have to start somewhere and I can still remember my first goal. It was actually against Queen of the South when I scored a diving header at Palmerston.

“I have scored a few against them in the past and I will be looking to get one against them in the cup. I go into every game looking to get a goal, regardless of who it is against.”

If Thistle can overcome Queens at Firhill today, it would put Archibald’s side top of the Group E standings as they set their sights on a second round berth.

It has been a successful few years in the Premiership for the Jags as they have maintained their top flight status following their First Division title glory.

But Doolan is determined to reward the Firhill crowd with an extended cup run this term and give the Jags a chance to dream of Hampden glory.

He said: “We are targeting a cup run this season. At the end of the day a cup is a cup and we want to go as far as we can in it.

“We are treating these games this year like it was a Premiership match. Everything behind the scenes is set up the way it would for a top-flight game and we go out with the exact same mind-set against these lower division teams.

“We have seen teams like St Mirren, Inverness and Ross County winning cups so there’s no reason why we can’t as well.

“It is down to us as players to put the ball in the net and win these games to help us progress. I think the club deserve a cup run for once.

“Year upon year we have been knocked out in the early rounds and I think for the fans and everyone it would be good to do well.

“It’s not often we go into league games as heavy favourites so the cup is a little bit different this season. But then it is up to us to perform under that pressure and keep up our high standards.”