Chris Erskine is ready to mind the gap when he steps off the team bus at Hamilton Accies today.

And the Partick Thistle man is obliterate any slight space between the Firhill side and their hosts before turning it into a chasm with them stretching away into the distance.

Thistle go into the meeting at the SuperSeal Stadium bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership standings but just one point worse off than their hosts who sit in ninth.

Things are tight at the foot of the Scottish top flight – just two points separate seven teams – but Erskine is keen to grab some points before the standings start to open up.

“I think it’s a big game, but the way the league is we’re not getting too tense because there are only a few points between us and sixth place,” he said.

“However, given the games we have coming up – we have Celtic twice and Hearts in between – we know it’s big.

“We don’t want to come out of this phase with no points and a gap building up so it’s important we get the win.

“It’s vital to pick up points against your rivals. These are the main games for us.

“Picking up points against those above you is a bonus but the ones round about you are the ones you need to be beating if you’re go to climb the table towards the top six.

“That’s where we want to be and with a couple of different results we would be there already.”

Thistle were right to feel hard done by following last week’s late loss to Rangers – Joe Dodoo’s 94th minute strike completing a comeback for the visitors. Having said that, any frustration surrounding the manner of the defeat has been wiped from their minds going to Lanarkshire today.

“’We’re still fine,” said the 29-year-old. “You could look at the table and see we are bottom and get carried away but the points difference is so narrow.

“We’re still playing good football and we’re giving everyone a game. We’re just not getting the results we need.

“Last week was the hardest one to take – but we have had a few this season when we have conceded last-minute or late goals and ended up with a draw instead of a win. We thought we had three points in the bag so to lose it and end up with nothing.”

Earlier this week Scottish football witnessed Robbie Neilson depart for pastures new as he swapped Hearts for MK Dons. The former Tynecastle manager is just the latest coach from the Scottish top flight to be poached by a club down south, following in the footsteps of Jackie McNamara, Alan Stubbs and Stuart McCall to name but a few.

Despite Thistle’s lowly position in the table, Erskine concedes he’d not be surprised if Partick manager Alan Archibald was next to be targeted, and said: “Of course, Alan could follow Robbie Neilson down to England. I think it’s the manger’s aim to do well with the club and increase his own profile.

“It’s one of these things that happens in football. If he keeps doing a good job here then other clubs will look at him.

“It seems to be the natural next step for managers in Scotland. If they show they can do well in this league on small budgets then I think that’s something that every club looks at.

“If they are proving it up here then they will get their chance in England.”