After conceding a first goal for more than a month Tomas Cerny has called on his Partick Thistle team-mates to continue to help him shut opponents out as they look to recover from the disappointment of Sunday’s Scottish Cup exit.

The Czech goalkeeper has been part of a defensive unit that has matched Celtic in conceding just four goals since Christmas and it took a high class strike from Aberdeen skipper Graeme Shinnie to register the goal that subjected them to just their second defeat in that period.

That made the Pittodrie defeat even tougher to take because on the back of four successive wins they were beginning to fancy their chances of cup glory.

“It was a very disappointing result at the end because we knew we had a big chance to go to the semi-final of the Scottish Cup,” he said.

“We knew Aberdeen was a difficult place to get a result but we had gone into the game in good form.”

A single goal defeat on a visit to the team that is currently second top of the Premiership was by no means a devastating setback in itself, however and having forced their way into the top half of the table by ending Dundee’s four month unbeaten league run at Dens Park, there is now every reason to believe they can stay there.

“That is our goal now for the season,” said Cerny.

“We find ourselves in the position and we have it in our own hands to finish top six.

“That would be a great achievement for the club and is what everybody wants to do just now.

“We have been in really good league form and we want to continue that.”

He has obviously been in fine form and has enjoyed the recent run so is urging his colleagues to stick to what they have been doing since suffering this season’s solitary heavy defeat.

“I think we have just clicked,” said the goalkeeper.

“I remember there was a bad game against Celtic at home. We got beat 4-1.

“We then went away with the boys and we came back and for some reason the understanding improved.

“We came back and didn’t concede many goals.

“We went to Aberdeen with nine clean sheets out of 10. Not many teams have a record like that.

“I think the communication, we fight for each other and every player on the pitch fights for that clean sheet.”

“That got us into the top six because we were resolute and didn’t concede goals, so if you only need to score one it makes it easier.

“We have to keep going and doing what we have been doing.”