STUART BANNIGAN hopes he can find his scoring boots to help fire goal-shy Partick Thistle back to winning ways.

Alan Archibald's side have struggled to find the net in recent weeks as they have passed up a host of scoring chances and seen valuable SPFL Premiership points slip through their grasp.

The Jags have yet to win a top-flight fixture at Firhill this term following draws with Dundee United, Hearts and Kilmarnock and a 3-0 defeat to Aberdeen.

They hit the road this afternoon aiming to bounce back from a midweek League Cup loss at Tannadice, and midfielder Bannigan is determined to play his part in the final third.

He said: "I am playing as one of the three players behind the main striker so I need to get into the box more.

"I have not scored in a long time and it is pretty embarrassing - it was last December against Raith Rovers.

"When I was playing a bit further forward I was getting a few opportunities but I have been deeper and trying to protect the back four.

"I don't really get forward a lot but I do need to add that to my game.

"I get wee Stevie Lawless slagging me off about it all the time. I get pelters for not having any goals whereas he scores all the time.

"You always look at yourself and think what you can do a bit better - for me it is shooting and scoring.

"I need to get a lot better at that but all I can do is work harder in training.

"I did actually set up Stevie for his two goals up at Ross County. He is a great wee finisher so I can't really slag him."

Thistle once again turned in a decent performance on Wednesday night but were left with nothing to show for their efforts as Jackie McNamara's side claimed a 4-1 win to book a quarter-final berth against Inverness Caley Thistle.

The Jags have won rave reviews for a number of their showings on their return to the big time this season.

However, Bannigan is well aware they must start putting more points on the board if those compliments are to keep coming, with this afternoon's Saints showdown the next chance to do just that.

He said: "It has been said a few times this year. People have talked about how we have dominated big spells of games a few times this year but we have not taken the three points.

"At least we are playing well. The results will come. We want to go and win every game. We don't go into any game wanting to draw it.

"In most games, we have been happy with our performance but things have just not fallen for us.

"We will keep working hard and I am sure we will get there eventually."

Despite enduring a number of frustrating fixtures as they have been unable to kill teams off this term, it has been a decent start to the campaign for Archibald's side.

Both their Premiership wins have come away from Firhill as they claimed victories at Ross County and St Mirren.

And Bannigan reckons playing on the road suits Thistle's free-flowing approach to the game as they bid for third away win at McDiarmid Park today.

He said: "I don't know why it is. Maybe teams are coming on to us a bit more and we are getting in behind them.

"But we do need to try and get more wins at home.

"I would say there is more pressure on the home side to come out and force the game.

"Maybe teams are doing better against us when they sit in but if teams come at us then we can exploit them. It benefits our players."