PAUL GALLACHER admits 'naive' Partick Thistle must learn from their mistakes quickly if they are to survive this season.

The Jags remain second bottom of the SPFL Premiership standings after they threw away another three points on Saturday as Motherwell came from behind to claim a last gasp 4-3 win at Fir Park.

Failing to hold on to their leads has cost Alan Archibald's side several times this term and they have now won just once in 16 top flight outings.

Gallacher and defender Lee Mair have added much needed nous to the Jags line-up in recent weeks and the keeper knows the Firhill side need to wise up sooner rather than later.

He said: "We are quite a naive team. We want to go and play and keep going and going fast and furious rather than killing the game, keeping possession and seeing the clock out.

"We want to play football and we leave ourselves exposed sometimes.

"We play in the right manner but we need to use our loaf a bit more and see games out better

"As a team, we should all be in it together. But the older heads should be passing on their knowledge and we do that in the game.

"You have to focus on your own game, I have to focus as a goalkeeper and the back four.

"In front of that, I can't really do much. Hopefully the boys in front can talk to them and organise.

"We should all be chipping in and helping out but the older boys are a bit more vocal.

"As a team we need to, in the gaffers words, man up and see games out.

"We did so well to get ourselves back in the game and in front.

"Late in the game, we need to keep possession and clear our lines, do the right things and do them well."

After suffering more late heartache in Lanarkshire, Thistle have no time to feel sorry for themselves as they get set to host high-flying Aberdeen this weekend.

Victory at Fir Park would have taken the Jags up to ninth in the standings after relegation rivals St Mirren, Ross County and Kilmarnock all dropped points on Saturday.

And Gallacher is determined to help haul his side over the line and retain their top-flight status.

He said: "I have been on worse runs to be honest. It is great to be playing at the highest level in Scottish football, it is what we want to maintain.

"Days like Saturday are hard to take. We have gone over a lot of old ground this season so the penny has got to drop for us a team.

"Hopefully we can get three points sooner rather than later and get ourselves up this league.

Partick boss Alan Archibald is concerned about his team heading in the wrong direction after conceding the lead and precious points for the fourth time in the last five games despite their bright start to the season.

He said: "I thought we were worth at least a point for the way we played, especially in the second half.

"We dealt with Motherwell's threat until the last five minutes.

"For us to score three goals at Fir Park it should be enough to win the game as not many teams do that.

"We are naive and I'm fed up hearing the excuses.

"They are not young boys any more and when you are 3-2 up with five minutes left you have to manage the game.

"As a team, we should be able to see it out."