Ryan Edwards is desperate to help teammate Kris Doolan bag his 100th goal for Partick Thistle today and fire Thistle clear of Kilmarnock in the race for the top six.

The Aussie midfielder displayed his trademark selflessness as he teed up Doolan for last week’s opener against Inverness.

He now wants to repeat the feat this afternoon at Rugby Park, and in the process, move the Jags clear of the sides pursuing them for that all-important place in the top half of the table.

“I got the assist for Dools 99th goal, which was great,” Edwards said.

“I said to Kris ‘I would love to set up your hundredth’ because obviously he was close at the start of the season. I’d love to be the player to do that.

“[Kilmarnock] have been performing really well since Lee McCulloch took over. We’ve watched their videos and have analysed them.

“They’ve been using Kris Boyd up to and he’s been really effective for them and they’ve got good energy in the midfield, which is similar to us.

“They are used to their pitch, so it will be a difficult game and they deserve to be where they are as well. We’re looking forward to the game.

“It’s difficult because you lose or you drop points and you’re back in a dogfight. If you win you further yourself from the group and each game is getting more important than the last one.

“This game is massive for us to further ourselves and for Kilmarnock as well for them to get into the top six. If we get the three points it’s going to be really important for our push for the top six.”

Edwards was disappointed to miss out on the final Australian squad for their forthcoming World Cup qualifiers after initially making the original 30-man party.

Just to be in the thoughts of coach Ange Postecoglou is an honour for Edwards though, and he plans to use this near miss as an incentive to perform even better for Thistle and force his way into the 23.

“It’s given me a great buzz and great drive to know that I’m close now,” he said. “I think the next camp is in June for the Confederations Cup, which will be massive.

“I targeted this March squad to try and get involved and it happened, so I was really happy. Now it just trying to make that next step and try and finish the season really strongly and keep knocking on the door.”

The influence of his club management team and his Thistle teammates this season in providing an environment for him to flourish is not lost on Edwards.

“Personal performances and team performances have helped,” he said. “That’s why I’d like to thank the manager and everyone at the club, even the physio team for keeping me fit. I’ve played nearly every game.

“Outside of Celtic, we are the in-form team, so that’s been great and we’re fighting for the top six.

“We’re in a position now where we are not chasing teams, we’re looking up. Since last season and the start of this season we were always chasing and now we’re in a position where we deserve to be.

“It’s a better pressure. You feel more relaxed and confident going into the game rather than thinking ‘we have to get a result here,’ and that’s shown.

“Whoever has the most consistent results will finish in the top six. So far, we have done that and I think we deserve to be in the top six and it’s a matter of just continuing that.”