DEFEAT has not deflated Partick Thistle - it has inspired them.

It is just a week since Jags players and fans woke up the morning after the night before hoping that their Ramsdens Cup final loss to Queen of the South had all been a bad dream.

Sadly for those at Firhill, it wasn't, with the penalty shoot-out heartache a rare low in what has been a remarkable season thus far.

Instead of allowing the collapse of their double ambitions to halt them in their tracks, Alan Archibald's side have found a new level of determination, two wins in four days over Morton and Airdrie United taking them to the brink of Irn-Bru First Division glory.

With an eight-point gap over the Ton at the top of the table, it is a matter of when, not if, Thistle lift the silverware.

Last-minute goals from Conrad Balatoni and Christie Elliot clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Diamonds on Saturday.

They sparked wild celebrations in the stands, but the biggest party is yet to come, with Firhill braced for a championship celebration against Raith Rovers tomorrow as Ramsdens regrets have been well and truly banished.

Elliot said: "We had an off-day in the final. We have been brilliant throughout the season, but nothing went right for us in the final. The atmosphere in the changing room is unbelievable, the lads all encourage each other.

"You are not scared to try something because we all encourage each other. After getting beaten in the final, it has made us realise how much we want it. We don't want that feeling after losing the league.

"That is why it has pushed us on to beat Morton and then win on Saturday."

The finishing line may now be in sight, but it has been a gruelling trip for Thistle, who have coped with the loss of Jackie McNamara and a hectic fixture schedule in some style.

They remain unbeaten on league duty on Archibald's watch and their hard work will surely soon be rewarded with the biggest prize of all.

"We have been training on Sundays more or less right throughout the season," Elliot said.

"We have been preparing fully for them. Sunday is a recovery session for the 11 that start and a training session for the subs and the squad. We then train again on Monday and go again on Tuesday.

"It is the last hurdle, but it is the most important hurdle. We set our minds on it at the start of the season, we wanted to win the league and nothing would come in our way.

"We can celebrate at the end of the season. We have got a big summer coming up.

"There is a lot of time to celebrate at the end rather than through the season."

Thistle were not at their best on Saturday, but claimed another deserved and crucial three points, the last-gasp double from Balatoni and Elliot extending their stunning run of form and ultimately ending Airdrie's time as a First Division club.

Elliot has been forced to watch on as Steven Craig, Kris Doolan, Chris Erskine and Steven Lawless have fired Thistle towards the title this season, but the Englishman played his part at New Broomfield, netting one of the biggest goals of the campaign thus far.

He said: "It was launched into the box and Dools has tried to get it out of his feet to shoot himself. It bobbled to me and, to be fair, I have mishit hit.

"I think if I had hit it properly I probably would have missed. It bobbled in and it was the most important goal I have ever scored.

"Once it left my foot I had a feeling that it was going in. It was unbelievable. I have never felt like that in my life.

"Everyone was celebrating in different directions and the crowd went crazy. It has moved on to tomorrow now, which is the biggest game and when we can win the league."