Partick Thistle may not have emerged from their tough double-header against Aberdeen and Hearts with any points, but they certainly took a lot of credit from the two narrow defeats.

That felt like scant consolation though to Thistle attacker Chris Erskine as he slouched into the Firhill media room to discuss the heart-breaking loss to Hearts on Saturday afternoon.

Tony Watt’s injury-time strike floored the Jags after they had dragged themselves back from a goal down, Liam Lindsay’s second-half header cancelling out Callum Paterson’s opener for the visitors.

The home side would have been well worthy of a point, but they are now left to stew on their second defeat in as many weeks that left them with more regrets than points on the board.

“It’s a sickener and everyone in the dressing room is feeling really down,” Erskine said.

“Getting back on level terms as well and defending really well, we really thought we were going to see it out for a point, but obviously the late goal is a sickener.

“I thought we deserved a point. That’s the last two weeks I think we’ve deserved something from better opposition that have finished high up in the league last year.

“We can take heart from the games but it doesn’t mean much, the points mean more than anything.

“We passed the ball well and we caused them problems as well. For all their possession in the second half as well they never really cut us open.

“We were under a wee bit of pressure but we defended well and we didn’t feel as if a goal was coming.

“It’s a sickener but we can definitely take something from it.

“They finished high up in the league last year and so did Aberdeen, the team we played last week, so there are definitely positives, but we would have been happier with one point or three points rather than just taking positives.”

Thistle goalkeeper Tomas Cerny vigorously protested to referee Willie Collum after the Jambos' late strike, feeling he was impeded in the lead-up to the goal.

Footage after the game suggested that it was his own players who got in his way, and Erskine conceded that there probably wasn’t a lot wrong with the strike.

He said: “I’m actually not sure, I don’t know what happened with the goal, I just remember Tam [Tomas Cerny] punched it out and then Abs [Abdul Osman] tried to clear it and it got blocked so it might have been something to do with that.

“I’m actually not sure what he was going on about!”

Despite the disappointment of Saturday’s loss, Thistle now go into the international break in decent spirits having played well over the last couple of weeks.

The break will also allow a few players like Gary Fraser and Christie Elliot who have been sidelined some extra recovery time.

For Erskine himself, it gives him a chance to reflect on a good start to his latest stint at Firhill.

“I’m doing alright,” he said. “I’m doing fine and I’ve scored a few goals so I’m glad to be back and playing and enjoying my football. Hopefully I can keep playing well.

“I don’t know what it is about the club but I just enjoy it here and I enjoy playing my football here.

“We’ve got a few injuries here and there so the international has probably come at the right time.

“We’ve played well though in the last couple of games though so that’s something you’d like to take into the next games as well.

“We’ve got some big games coming up so hopefully we’ll get some points from there.”