Partick Thistle 0-0 Kilmarnock: Lee Clark denies Killie nerves

Kilmarnock manager Lee Clark insists relegation nerves will not affect his players after bottom club Dundee United reduced their deficit to five points.

United beat St Johnstone 1-0 while 11th-placed Killie only took a point in a 0-0 draw at Partick Thistle.

"We've got to look above us and keep going and keep fighting," said Clark.

"Obviously, Dundee United are putting a terrific run together but we are capable of doing that. We've got to keep focused on what we're doing."

Kilmarnock have taken two points from their last six Premiership matches, with only one goal scored in the process.

The Ayrshire club are five points behind 10th-placed Hamilton Academical, who play Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday.

"Our Achilles heel over the course of the season has been two things; conceding too many goals but also not scoring enough," Clark told BBC Scotland.

"We've certainly addressed the situation defensively, we just need to score more goals. Our predicament means we need to approach the games to win.

Miles Addison hit the post with a header on his Kilmarnock debut

"Today we've had opportunities but didn't get a little bit of luck; Miles Addison hitting the post and another opportunity hitting the crossbar.

"It's frustrating not to win but we need to look forward now to St Johnstone."

Kris Boyd had a glaring opportunity to score a winner from eight yards in the 75th-minute, but shot over the crossbar from Josh Magennis's cut-back.

"Kris said it was a little bit behind him," said Clark. "You wouldn't want that chance to fall to any other player on both teams - that's what he's made his living off.

"Unfortunately, it wasn't to be and that seems to be the luck that's deserting us. We're making chances, we just need to be more ruthless and get a little bit of 'lady luck'."

Meanwhile, Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald stressed that the club still aim to maintain the services of Stuart Bannigan, Abdul Osman and Steven Lawless.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle have been granted permission to speak to the trio about pre-contract deals, but since then Bannigan has suffered a knee injury.

"We'll know the full extent of Stuart's injury when he sees a specialist on Monday," Archibald told BBC Scotland.

"With Stevie Lawless and Abdul Osman that's up to them what they want to do. They know how much we want to keep them here.

"We've sold them it as much as we can and we've told them they've played really good football here over the last few years. Hopefully, that will continue and we keep them at the club."