Partick Thistle v St Johnstone: Depleted hosts have chance to rein in Scottish Championship leaders

It is the final duel of the season between Partick Thistle and St Johnstone on Friday evening as they battle for the Scottish Championship crown, with the match live on BBC Scotland and iPlayer.

Thistle manager Mark Wilson is in no doubt about the importance of the match.

“Realistically, if we are going to win the Championship then, of course, we have to look at taking maximum points,” Wilson, whose side are eight points behind St Johnstone but with a game in hand, said.

Thistle will also have to do it the hard way with injuries to key players.

“Tony [Watt] came off with a hamstring strain [against Greenock Morton] and we thought we had just caught it in time, but the scan shows it is a pretty significant one that will keep him out six to eight weeks,” Wilson explained.

“Logan Chalmers was just injured before the St Mirren game. He was similar with a thigh strain, six-to-eight weeks.

“And Oisin [Smyth] has a ligament issue; completed the Arbroath game and again looking at six-to-eight weeks.”

“So we have been pretty unfortunate in that respect with the three of them missing for a significant chunk of the run in.”