Partick Thistle attacker Chris Erskine has told his teammates that they have to perform at their best for a full 90 minutes if they are to get results in the Premiership, after they fell to an opening day defeat to Hibs on Saturday.

The Jags started brilliantly at Easter Road, and Erskine gave them a deserved lead after just seven minutes as he latched on to a clever Stevie Lawless pass to finish past Ofir Marciano.

But from the moment Hibs grabbed a fortuitous equaliser through Martin Boyle after quarter of an hour, there was only going to be one winner, as Thistle stopped passing the ball and pressing the opposition.

Further goals from Steven Whittaker and a Simon Murray penalty sealed the three points for the Hibees on their first game back in the Premiership after a three-year absence, and Erksine was disappointed by the way that the Jags had folded.

“We know because of the kind of day it was here that we had to start quickly and quiet the crowd down,” Erskine said. “We did that – we played well for the first 15 minutes.

“We got the goal we deserved but after that it was as if someone had flicked a switch.

“We were trying to put our fingers on it in the dressing room there but never really got round to it.

“We played a bit better in the second half. We’d a good spell, might have had a penalty but overall it was massively disappointing.

“We did the hard part. Their first goal had a bit of luck as it took a big deflection into his (Boyle’s) path.

“After that we began misplacing passes and it spread right through the team. Every chance after that came from us losing the ball.

“Then we lost the penalty, it goes to 3-1. That was a massive boost for them and made it hard for us to get back in it.

“It’s early doors. We all know we’ve got a hard start. That’s the thing that’s hard to take. We felt we could come here and win today. That was the plan.”

Thistle’s cause wasn’t helped by striker Kris Doolan limping off shortly after Hibs got their leveller after he felt a niggle in his hamstring.

Young Kevin Nisbet came on to replace him, but with all due respect to the prospect, that development brought into focus the need for manager Alan Archibald to strengthen his attacking options.

“Losing (Doolan) made it hard to get back into it,” Erskine said. “He’s a massive part of the team with his link up play and his goals.

“We’re hoping his injury won’t be too serious and he’ll be fit again soon.

“In the meantime, others have got to step up. We talk about this every year – everyone else chipping in with goals.

“We are definitely short in that department so hopefully the manager can bring someone else in, but we all need to chip in with goals.”

Erksine knows that Thistle won’t be the last side to come away from Easter Road on the wrong end of the result this season.

And he is hoping that they can get back on track tomorrow night as they make the trip to McDiarmid Park to take on St Johnstone in the League Cup.

“Hibs are a good side who have recruited well in the summer,” he said. “It will be a hard place for anyone to come.

“We were confident we could come here and win. It went well for 15 minutes and after that we lost our way.

“That’s the most disappointing thing for us. There was still enough in the performance to give is confidence going into midweek.

“The way we moved the ball in the first part of the game and for a spell in the second were good signs. I’m sure we’ll do well this year.”