PAUL McGinn said last night that he hoped Partick Thistle 3-0 defeat at Ibrox on Saturday was a one-off and not a return to the club’s early season habit of gifting goals to the opposition. After two clean sheets in the space of a week, the Maryhill defender was disappointed about the three soft goals which the club conceded against Rangers which meant the match was all but done just minutes into the second half. Next up for Thistle is being house guests at Hearts’ homecoming party at Tynecastle after the break and McGinn is adamant that nothing will be gift-wrapped for the Jambos for the occasion.

“We didn’t play well right across the park against Rangers,” he said. “Gifting goals like that at any level you are going to be in trouble but especially here. It buoyed them. Second half we had a lot of the ball but we were a bit toothless as well

“We had been a bit guilty of conceding goals earlier in the season so to have that week where we looked a bit more solid was good for us,” he added. “But that on Saturday was a bit like harking back to what we had earlier in the season. So hopefully it is just a one off and we will be being back to a bit more solid after the break.”

The defender refused to point the finger at Jordan Turnbull for the headed backpass which led to Josh Windass’ killer third goal. “Even at half time we thought they might drop their performance a little bit, because they play quite a high energy game and we thought we were still in this. But the third goal went in straight away and that was it, stone dead, then it was just a matter of them seeing it out. But mistakes like that happen all over the place, they happen in Champions League games, so he [Turnbull] just has to forget about it. And next time put it into row Z!”

McGinn said he may travel up to Aberdeen in midweek in the hope of seeing his brother John, of Hibs, playing for Scotland. “Yeah, I might try to go up to Aberdeen to watch him,” said Paul. “He has had a wee knock but I think he is fine and he will be playing – he should be playing in my opinion. Everyone who watches John knows how good he is, I don’t think he will be in this league for long. So I think we should try to get him in the team.”