ROSS DOCHERTY was thrilled as Partick Thistle moved to within an inch of securing a play-off spot thanks to a 1-0 win over Dunfermline on Saturday but the Jags skipper has warned his team-mates that they face a bruising encounter against Ayr United on Friday night.

Docherty’s first-half goal via a Kyle Turner corner was all that separated the two sides at Firhill as Thistle maintained their three-point gap with fellow promotion hopefuls Raith Rovers going into the final match of the regular season. With Ian McCall’s men boasting a superior goal difference, though, only a couple of freak results could dislodge the Maryhill outfit from their play-off berth.

Docherty is confident that won’t happen. As the 29-year-old sees it, Raith require a minor miracle to leapfrog the Jags and although he is in no doubt that he and his team-mates face a potentially bruising encounter against his former club on Friday, he insists Thistle are just about over the line.

“We are all but there,” Docherty said. “That was the intention at the start of the season, we are all delighted.

"Mid-season we were up there, half-challenging [for the title] but it was disappointing about six weeks or so ago when we lost the title race as such.

“I think from where we were last season, coming up, the top four was always going to be the aim We are almost there.

"I'm sure I will get bit of stick at Ayr, but you've got to just be professional. We've got one foot in the play offs, barring freak results.

“We've got to go and match them and get some momentum going into the play offs - hopefully if we get there. We know they are fighting for their life but we've just got to do our job.”

Docherty also took the time to praise his team-mate Scott Tiffoney, who was one of four players nominated for the Championship’s Player of the Year award. The surface at Firhill isn’t exactly conducive to exciting wing play where attackers can drive at their opponents but Docherty insists that the former Livingston forward’s quality is obvious.

He added: “He's been brilliant. The pitch hasn't helped him the last two months but it's hard to create anything on that surface. But anyone who watched him on the first half of the season, he was electric. There were even three or four guys coming at him, but he's been brilliant.”