Ryan Edwards today lamented Partick Thistle’s sluggish starters and admitted the struggling Jags need to find a spring in their step soon.

After hitting Motherwell with a three goal salvo in midweek, Thistle found themselves on the back foot at Dens Park on Saturday as Dundee eased into a 2-0 lead and comfortably cruised to victory.

It was grim day for the visitors, with Danny Devine conceding two penalties which the Dee’s Tunisian hitman Sofien Moussa converted as the hosts cantered to a 3-0 win.

Alan Archibald’s remain stuck at the bottom of the table and now face a daunting trip to Celtic Park on Wednesday to face the Scottish Champions.

Aussie ace Edwards was left with plenty to ponder after Thistle’s meek surrender and the 24-year-old has urged his team-mates to pull together and dig themselves out of the relegation mire.

He said: “It’s disappointing after getting off our bad run. To come here was a great chance to get off the bottom of the table but Dundee were just better than us. They played better football and they showed more desire to win.

“Maybe it was a mental thing. Against Motherwell we needed a reaction from the Kilmarnock result. We had a game plan but against Dundee maybe half the team thought it was going to happen and the other half didn’t. When not everyone is on the same page, it doesn’t click and we were playing catch up from the first ten minutes.

“We need to be more consistent. Our form, both at home and away is a cause for concern. These fluctuating results and performances are not good enough. It’s been said before, both in house and in the media, that we need to work harder, show more desire and execute the game plan. It’s not clicking but it needs to soon because if it doesn’t then we’ll be in trouble.”

Edwards, now in his third season with the Jags, has been in this position before but he is tiring of Thistle scrapping for survival at this time of the year. With everybody getting in the festive spirit, the former Reading player is hoping the Maryhill men can show more spirit before the winter shutdown.

He added: “You can say everyone in that dressing room wanted to win that game but desire is also about taking care of the ball, putting a foot in and not just shadow pressing and being next to the guy, winning individual battles; none of that happened. Dundee did all that and won their individual battles. That’s why they won.

“Yes, it’s a positive that we’ve been in this position before and got out of it. But we’ve said that. We can’t keep saying that. This is my third season here and we’ve been in the same position when December comes round. It’s all very well saying ‘we’ll be ok’ but we can’t keep saying that. We need to lift our game mentally and physically.”

After the short trip across Glasgow to face Celtic, Thistle square up to Hamilton, Aberdeen and Ross County before the year is out.

Edwards said: “There are some good games and some winnable games. It’s going to be hard after a 3-0 defeat going to Celtic but we’ll pick ourselves up and try to do the best we can. And then we have to look at the games after that as the ones we can win to push us up the table.”