JAMES CRAIGEN admits it was an opportunity missed for Partick Thistle as they were held to a 1-1 draw by fellow top-six hopefuls Kilmarnock.

The Jags remain ninth in the Premiership standings after Dan Seaborne cancelled out Tope Obadeyi's opener for Allan Johnston's side at Firhill.

It was another case of what might have been for Thistle as they couldn't find a second goal to give them a crucial three points and move closer to the top half of the standings.

Alan Archibald's side are five points adrift of Killie and four behind Dundee and St Johnstone in mid-table, but Craigen is continuing to set his sights onwards and upwards.

He said: "We need to be winning these games to get in the top six. We know that and it's disappointing not to get the three points.

"It's been a tough week with three games, but we should be winning these matches.

"It's not a defeat, which is the main thing, but if we want to be pushing into the top six and want to be looking upwards and not downwards this season, realistically you want to be winning the majority of your home games.

"Obviously last season was all about survival, but this year we want to keep moving up the league and be better than our current position.

"We believe with the quality of players we've got and with our manager we can be fighting for a top-six place and that's what we want to do."

After a decent first half that saw both teams find the net, there was little to get excited about for the Firhill crowd after the break as Thistle pushed for a winner.

It almost arrived at the death when Craigen's drive went narrowly wide of Craig Samson's goal, but it was to prove a frustrating afternoon all round for the Jags.

Craigen said: "It wasn't the best game, was it? We had the chance in the last minute, but the defender has done well to block it. We should be taking all three points at home to Kilmarnock, really. I'm just disappointed as I feel it's two points dropped.

"We bounced back from going a goal down early, but after equalising we didn't have that cutting edge.

"I thought my shot was in. I hit it reasonably well and credit to their defender [Mark] Connolly. He came up to me afterwards and said it just hit his studs. He blocked it and it went just wide."

Thistle may have missed the chance to edge closer to the top six, but they remain determined to mix it higher up the standings this season.

And Craigen reckons Archibald's squad are well equipped for the challenge in the coming months.

HE said: "I'm really pleased to be playing as we've got competition for places now. I'm sure there will be times I will be out and other people will be in, and it will chop and change.

"But we've got a good, tight unit, a good squad of players. Maybe that was something which we didn't have last year and, when we had a few injuries, we were down to the bare bones. But now we've got a good squad, with good players and that kind of competition is healthy."

Archibald is looking forward to the trip to Inverness this week, saying: "They are flying high and it will be a tough 90 minutes up there."