Partick Thistle defender Paddy Boyle has admitted last week’s victory over Ayr United lifted an air of gloom that had been hanging over the Firhill dressing room.

The 2-1 victory that booked Thistle’s place in today’s Alba Challenge Cup semi-final draw was their first in four games.

Defeats to Morton, Falkirk and Cowdenbeath in recent weeks have seen the Jags slide towards the bottom of the Irn-Bru First Division and crash out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup.

And Boyle reckons Thistle will benefit from the timely boost to their fortunes as they look to turn their season around.

“It was really good to get a win because the mood in the dressing room has been a bit down, but it has definitely given everyone a real lift,” he said.

“To be fair, the confidence has never been low. We have been disappointed that we have not taken our chances and picked up points.

“We always knew we could win games but we were frustrated and disappointed. There wasn’t really any major change in how we approached the game.”

He added: “The manager has us working hard every day, but there is only so much he can do. Everyone always looks to the manager and blames him, but sometimes the players have to take responsibility.

“If you are told to mark someone at a corner or free-kick and you don’t do it and the man scores, then that is your fault. It can’t always land at the manager’s door.”

Defensive slackness has cost Thistle dear in recent weeks, with goals conceded from dead-ball situations a particular Achilles heel.

Against Cowdenbeath and Ayr, the Jags shipped goals quickly after scoring, and Boyle hopes curing their problems at the back can be the catalyst for a winning run.

He said: “We have not been defending well. A lot of the goals we have given away this season have been from corners and free-kicks which we have defended poorly.

“That comes from the whole team though. We did a lot of training last week to try and put that right.

“If you don’t concede goals then you are not going to lose games and you will pick up points.”

Newly-promoted Stirling Albion visit Firhill on Saturday knowing a victory would see them leapfrog Thistle and move off the foot of the table.

And Boyle knows it is vital the Jags prevent that happening by carrying their cup form into the league campaign. He said: “Just like one defeat is only one defeat, one win is only one win.

“We have Stirling Albion on Saturday and we have to go out and try and get the three points because we need to move further up the league as soon as possible.

“We don’t want to be down there near the bottom, we have to try and get ourselves moving upwards.”