STEVEN LAWLESS hopes Partick Thistle can replicate their stunning early-season form in the Irn-Bru First Division title run-in.

The Jags flew out of the traps in the opening weeks of the term as they set down an early indicator of their promotion intentions.

A series of postponements and a sticky run of form over the festive period saw them fall eight points adrift of leaders Morton, with boss Jackie McNamara then quitting the club to join Dundee United as the business end of the campaign approached.

Interim boss Alan Archibald has collected seven points from his first three matches in the dugout and Lawless is keen to gather more momentum when the Jags play the second of their three games in hand over the Ton at Cowdenbeath tonight.

The ex-Motherwell man said: "It is another big game for us. The last two games have set us up nicely for the Cowdenbeath match.

"It will be a difficult game for us and we might need to grind it out again. We are just taking it a game at a time, but we go into every match thinking we can win it.

"If we can go on a wee run now that would be nice. We had one at the start of the season and that set us up well.

"We did have a dip, but we are hopefully back on track now and we are getting the results, which is the most important thing."

HE ADDED: "Everyone knows that we can play good football, but that is not what it is about just now.

"We know teams will come and sit in against us and make it extremely difficult. Airdrie United did a good job against us on Saturday but we managed to get the three points."

Thistle's latest victory came at the weekend as Chris Erskine's superb second-half strike sealed a 1-0 win over the Diamonds.

It was another moment of magic from the forward, his long-range volley his 13th goal of an impressive campaign so far.

Lawless said: "I think that was his best one of the season, it is a difficult technique to execute.

"I was more surprised with the header he had in the first half that went close, he is not really known for his heading ability.

"I think that is him three goals ahead of me now but I am using my injury as an excuse.

"It would be nice if I could claw that back, but as long as the team is winning, that is the most important thing.

"There is banter between us about it, and obviously Stef (Steven Craig), Dools (Kris Doolan) and the rest of the boys want to score as many as they can, too."