IAN McCALL admits that his Partick Thistle side need to start turning draws into wins sooner rather than later if the Jags are to maintain their push for the play-offs after recording a third consecutive goalless draw at home to Inverness.

Thistle’s attackers had started the season strongly but the goals have dried up in recent weeks while the defence has steadied itself. And while his team’s newfound resilience at the back is a plus point, McCall concedes that things must improve at the other end sooner rather than later if the play-offs are to remain a legitimate target.

“4-0, 6-1, 0-0, 0-0, 0-0 – it’s kind of bizarre,” he said of his team’s recent form. “We had our goalie to thank for it finishing 0-0. It all comes down to the penalty save, it was outstanding.

“In the first half they hit the bar and the post but we had two really good chances as well. I thought they were better and if any team deserved to win it was them but our goalie makes a great save. We’re now five unbeaten but we need to turn a draw into a win.”

The Jags’ last two outings had ended in goalless draws and the first half offered little to suggest that that unfortunate streak would be broken. The home side’s strategy appeared to rest on scrapping for second balls and clear-cut sights of goal were hard to come by, although the poor surface at Firhill unquestionably played its part.

Cammy Smith did well to fashion some space a few minutes in but saw his shot palmed wide by Inverness’ Mark Ridgers but the opening exchanges favoured the visitors. Tom Walsh did well to drift into the area and looked for all the world like he would hand the Caley Jags the advantage but watched as his low shot rebounded off the inside of the far post before being hastily hacked away.

A Scott Tiffoney cross at the other end was begging for Brian Graham to provide the killer touch but the big centre-forward couldn’t make the necessary contact with the ball, and the Jags were given a tremendous fright moments later when Michael Gardyne rattled the underside of the bar.

Thistle toiled in the final third while their opponents grew into the contest. All too often a poor delivery from the hosts saw a promising move break down or a slack pass was met with a grown from the home support. Inverness, for their part, attacked with a greater degree of purpose but the Jags defence just about managed to keep them at bay.

The second half was similarly attritional with neither set of players stringing any more than a few passes together as they searched for supremacy. With just over an hour played, Sean Welsh spurned a glorious opportunity to secure just that.

A clumsy challenge from Lewis Mayo resulted in Aaron Doran hitting the deck and the Inverness skipper rifled his effort from 12 yards towards the bottom left corner, only for Jamie Sneddon to deny him with a brilliant save.

The Jags looked to have claimed a dramatic winner with just a few minutes to go but it was little more than a false dawn. Rudden scarpered after a long ball and hooked it backwards where Jake Hastie was waiting to rifle it home, only for the linesman to rule that the ball had drifted out of play in the build-up and award a goal-kick.

There was still time for one last chance for Inverness when substitute Roddy McGregor was slipped through in injury time but the midfielder somehow scooped the ball over from a few yards out as each side settled for a point.

“I thought we played our best game of the season today,” beamed Inverness manager Billy Dodds at full-time. “I thought we were magnificent.

“The pitch wasn’t its most playable but my team, my word – that’s the best we’ve played all season.

“We created so many chances. How we’ve not won the game, I don’t know.”