FREDERIC FRANS insists Partick Thistle won't get ahead of themselves as they look to complete their Premiership survival bid sooner rather than later.

 

The Jags head into the top-flight split eighth in the standings and on the brink of ensuring they will play amongst our 12 highest-ranked teams for the third consecutive season.

Alan Archibald's side have put together an impressive run in recent weeks as they have opened up a seven-point gap over eleventh-placed Motherwell.

And Belgian stopper Frans is delighted with how Thistle have handled the stresses and strains of the relegation battle.

He said: "We are all really pleased with this run because we have had difficult games against the top teams like St Johnstone, Inverness and Aberdeen, and there was a lot of pressure on us against Motherwell.

"Everyone was saying that we could get dragged into the relegation battle, but we stood up at the right time and got the win. It gives us confidence, but we can't think that we are there already.

"The strength of this team is to keep our feet on the ground. We will keep doing that.

"We have five games against five opponents we can beat, so we will aim as high as possible and look to win every game. With hard work, we can do it."

With three wins from their last five games, Thistle now lead the relegation pack in the bottom half of the table as they look to get over the finishing line.

The key to the Jags' improved run in recent weeks has been a solid defensive line as Frans has formed a reliable partnership with Conrad Balatoni.

Boss Archibald has put Thistle's clean sheet spree down to consistency of selection at the back as Stephen O'Donnell and Callum Booth have held down full-back berths.

And Frans is pleased to see the Firhill backline playing their part in helping the Jags in the battle at the bottom. He said: "As a defender, it is the first objective for you. We have midfielders and strikers that can make a difference, so if we keep a clean sheet we have a chance to score goals and win games.

"It is important for defenders to get clean sheets. We have one of the better records in the league. The more we play together, the better it is.

"In the games now, we don't need many words because we understand each other. I can feel that in training, too. When I first came here, I had a few games with Conrad, and they were really good. It can be a natural thing sometimes.

"It is going well and I am happy for him that he is putting good performances in."

The trip to the Highlands tomorrow is Thistle's first post-split clash as they look to edge closer to safety and finish the campaign in style.

The Jags are just five points adrift of out-of-form Hamilton in the standings, but Frans isn't setting his sights too high at the moment.

He said: "Everybody would prefer to finish in seventh or eighth than tenth spot.

"Right now, the main objective is to win games and, if we do that, we will be safe quickly. Then maybe we can aim higher.

"We have to keep our feet on the ground because the other teams are on good runs as well.

"It is up to us. It is in our hands, but I am confident we will be fine.

"This team works hard and I know we will be fine. This team has a big heart."