RYAN Scully feels he is starting to show Partick Thistle supporters his true capabilities after a sustained run in Alan Archibald’s side as first-choice keeper.

The continuing injury problems of Tomas Cerny opened the door to the first-team for the 23-year-old, and he isn’t in the mood to relinquish that number one position in a hurry.

After an accomplished performance against Hamilton, Scully feels that he is perhaps in the best form of his Firhill career, and he is positive that he will only get even sharper the more he plays.

“It was good to make a few saves early on and I feel as if I’m getting more confidence with every game that goes past,” Scully said.

“That just comes from playing games and getting some consistency with a run in the team as the number one.

“Getting a few saves was good, but the most important thing was getting the three points and it was disappointing not to get them in the end.

“I’m enjoying playing at the moment though and long may that continue, I just need to keep my performances at a high standard.

“It’s hard to come in for a few games and then get taken back out again, but obviously with Tomas’s injury it’s given me a chance to cement my place in the team.

“Ask any player, getting a run of games week-in, week-out helps with everything. It’s alright training every week, but nothing beats playing for 90 minutes.

“Obviously I came into the team very young a few years ago and had one or two appearances, and it’s been hard to claim a place.

“Hopefully the fans can see how much I’m progressing and how much my confidence is growing with each game.”

Although Scully was pleased with his own personal performance on Saturday, his mood was tempered by Thistle’s inability to hold on for three points from a winning position.

The keeper admits that there may have been a few nerves in the ranks as the clock ticked towards full-time against Hamilton.

“In the last few games now we’ve had a similar scenario in that we’ve had a few chances early in the second half to kill the game off, we haven’t, and then I don’t know if doubts start to creep in and people start to panic when the game gets closer to the end,” he said.

“Naturally when you’re holding onto a lead you’re going to get a wee bit deeper, but that’s been killing us a wee bit and we don’t seem to be able to get over that finishing line.

“We just need to stick together and I know the results will come. It’s just a case of cutting out the silly mistakes at the back and starting to finish our chances at the other end.”

Scully is sure that Thistle can smash through that psychological barrier preventing them from getting an all-important victory when Ross County visit Firhill this Saturday.

“These are games where we’re looking to put a marker down,” he said.

“These are the games we want to win and should be winning. Victories at home in games like these can be the difference between finishing at the bottom end and challenging for that top six.

“We will give County respect, but we know that if we can play to our capabilities then we should get the three points.”