Partick Thistle defender Danny Devine held up his hands after his mistake led to Rangers’ killer second goal on Saturday, and he says that the full Jags squad have to cut such lapses from their game.

Thistle were performing well in the first-half at Ibrox at the weekend, and were still well in the game despite falling behind to a superb individual strike from Niko Krancjar.

That was until Devine scuffed an intended pass to Ryan Edwards straight to Jason Holt, and the Ibrox side immediately punished the error by grabbing a second through Andy Halliday.

Devine was at pains to avoid platitudes about the performance his side put on again, fully realising that it is results that they need, and quickly.

“It was a disappointing day for all of us, but especially myself with the second goal,” Devine said.

“As players we are going to make mistakes, but to make one at such a crucial point of the game and for it to lead to a goal for them was so disappointing.

“We had a lot of the ball in and around the Rangers box early on, but our final ball was maybe just a little bit lacking on Saturday.

“I think it showed that when they had a couple of chances in and around our box they take them and make us pay for my slack mistake.

“We need to start doing that to other teams, and be a bit more ruthless both up front and at the back, and start to grind out results.

“The lads are disappointed as well. I thought we started the game well in the first half an hour, but we didn’t carry that on into the second-half, and as big a task as it is to go to Ibrox and get a result, we’re disappointed with our performance in the second half and we’re disappointed we didn’t give it more of a go.

“There’s only so many times you can say we’re playing well and it’s just not going our way.

“That’s up to us as a team to go out and make sure we pick up the points as well as playing well.

“We are playing some good stuff and we look pretty at times, but we need to start picking up points. If you ask anyone, they would probably take the three points over the performance any day.”

The international break offers Thistle’s players, and Devine in particular, an unwelcome chance to stew on another disappointing result.

The defender says though that it is important for the Firhill men to also utilise the break to thoroughly prepare for three huge games when they return to action.

First, they take on Hamilton and Ross County in succession at home, before a trip to face struggling Dundee.

“I think the fans are wanting to win every game and rightly so, that’s what we want as a club,” he said.

“I also think that they understand going to the likes of Ibrox and Pittodrie is tough, so I’m sure they are looking forward to a couple of home games against teams who we should be picking up points against.

“The fans have been outstanding this season so far, and hopefully we can get a win on the board for them because they deserve it.

“If you look at the table you have the likes of Dundee who are struggling and only a point or two ahead of us, and then Kilmarnock and Hamilton too.

“A few wins on the trot can put us right back up amongst it. I can definitely see nine points being a possibility from the next three games.”