PARTICK THISTLE are confident defender Ziggy Gordon will be fit to face Stenhousemuir as the Jags bid for a third Betfred Cup win tonight.

Alan Archibald’s side moved top of Group E with a 2-1 win over Queen of the South on Saturday and will all-but confirm their place in the last 16 of the competition if they can move on to nine points this evening.

Boss Archibald has a lengthy Firhill injury list at present and will still be without a number of key players for the trip to Ochilview as the Jags play their third competitive outing of the campaign.

Captain Abdul Osman, midfielder Stuart Bannigan and forward Christie Elliott are all still out, while Mustapha Dumbuya is a long-term absentee as he recovers from an Achilles injury.

But right-back Gordon is on course to be fit for the cup clash despite sustaining a shoulder knock against the Doonhamers.

Tomas Cerny was fit enough to take up a place on the bench on Saturday but David Crawford is poised to continue between the sticks.

With the new Premiership campaign now less than a fortnight away, Archibald is unlikely to rush back either Cerny or Ryan Scully and risk losing them for the opening weeks of the top flight fixture schedule.

Meanwhile, former Jags defender Jordan McMillan is free to return to training next month after his doping ban was reduced.

The 27-year-old was sacked by Thistle last year after testing positive for cocaine following the Jags’ Premiership encounter with Celtic in December 2014.

McMillan’s ban was due to end in December this year but it has now been reduced by the National Anti-Doping Panel.