JACKIE McNAMARA knows the spotlight will be on Livingston when they begin life after

Gary Bollan tomorrow afternoon.

But the Partick Thistle boss has urged his players to focus on themselves as they attempt to consolidate fourth place in the Irn-Bru First Division.

Despite guiding Livi to successive promotions and remaining on course to maintain the East Lothian club's place in Scotland's second tier this term, Bollan was sacked on Sunday, alongside assistant and former Jags star Scott Paterson.

Livi's head of youth development Brian Welsh will be in the dugout for the visit of Thistle tomorrow, but McNamara doesn't expect the upheaval to play too big a role in the clash.

"Gary has left the club now and Brian Welsh will be in charge on Saturday so all the players will be looking to impress," he said.

"We will go there as we always do and try to win the game.

"It doesn't change how we will approach the game. You have an idea of how the teams in the First Division will set up.

"As I say to the lads all the time, it is about what we do and not focusing on the opposition. If we play to our best, we will be OK.

"I thought he had just parted company with them at first, I didn't know he had been sacked.

"It was a surprising one. I thought he had done a good job there.

"I don't know the details of it but you have to feel sorry for him because he was doing a good job."

The trip to the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium will have Thistle returning to action after a fortnight in cold storage due to cup fixtures.

The Jags have not played since their 0-0 draw at home to Dundee last month, and head into the Livi clash targeting a winning run to kick-start their title challenge.

McNamara's side have found goals hard to come by in recent weeks as they have struggled in 2012, but the Firhill boss hopes a fortnight of hard work on the training ground will soon pay dividends.

He said: "Defensively, we have been sound, touch wood, but, of late, we have not scored as many goals as we should have or what we expect.

"Myself and Simon (Donnelly) have been working on a lot of things in training.

"We need to try and create more chances. We are too predictable at times and need to find a way of changing the game.

"We have got six strikers in and around the first team. I want them to start scoring as soon as possible and we have chopped and changed a bit trying to find the right formula.

"We have been working on a few things so, hopefully, that will pay off.

"It is not just about getting the ball up to them when they have got their back to goal and hoping they can produce something.

"We have to mix it up and try different things."