Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald has challenged his players to summon a greater cutting edge.

Archibald formed the view his side were lacking in punch up front after a battling goalless draw with St Johnstone in the wind and rain of Firhill.

With injuries to some of his key creative players, Archibald admitted his team failed to create sufficient clear-cut chances to deserve to win Saturday's match.

He had no doubt the return of Kallum Higginbotham in particular would improve the quality of their play in the final third.

Higginbotham has missed recent games after undergoing surgery for a knee problem, and a similar injury has also sidelined Gary Fraser.

"I think we're missing him," Archibald said of Higginbotham.

"Gary Fraser has got a killer pass in him as well, so guys like that to come back in will give us more options. But the lads worked ever so hard."

With a huge match against Celtic in the quarter-finals of the League Cup to come during the week, Archibald would dearly love to have as many attacking options at his disposal as possible.

"It might be too soon for them," he said, "but we're definitely looking towards Saturday to have one of them back, if not two."

Archibald singled out goalkeeper Scott Fox for praise after winning a one-on-one battle with Lee Croft, following what has been a tough year for the Thistle number one.

"He's coming back into form", said Archibald.

"It's crucial at those sorts of times in the game. I think it's just an aimless long ball and we never dealt with the second ball, but he stood up well and he's good at the one-on-ones, (we are) so delighted to have him back in form."

The Partick boss was also pleased with the debut of new centre-half Frederic Frans.

"It was a great debut from him," said Archibald.

"They're a handful, Brian Graham and James McFadden. We've had him for a couple of weeks and he was in training over the international break as well, so I'm delighted with his debut and to get a clean sheet as well.

"He's very composed on the ball for a big lad. He looks a bit cumbersome but he's very good on the ball and you saw that. He doesn't hit too many long balls, everything's on the floor with him, so we're delighted with him."

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright was disappointed Lee Croft had not taken a glorious chance in the first half, but was happy with his team's overall performance as they halted a sequence of five defeats on the spin prior to the game.

"It's probably the best chance of the game," said Wright, "although they had one that I think Frazer (Wright) or Ando (Steven Anderson) blocks in the middle of the goal, but it was a clear-cut chance and he probably should have lifted it. I think he was trying to get it under the 'keeper but he hit it a bit too close to him.

"We've had opportunities in the second half, Murray (Davidson) has been careless with a pass and he gets a good header in as well late on that Fox does well to save, but with recent results, I'm more than pleased with the performance and the point."