Despite occupying eighth position in the table, Partick Thistle currently boast the fourth-best defensive record in the league, conceding just 28 goals so far. Normally, such a record would be grounds for confidence among Jags fans ahead of a tricky trip to Tynecastle this weekend, however seven of those goals have come in just two matches against Hearts this season.

A 3-0 loss in Edinburgh was followed by a 4-0 defeat to Robbie Neilson's men at Firhill, results entirely out of context with the rest of their campaign.

Centre-half Dan Seaborne could therefore be forgiven for breaking out in a cold sweat as he considers Saturday’s trip to Gorgie, but he is galvanising himself by drawing on creditable showings at Pittodrie and Celtic Park as the yardstick for what will be required come Saturday afternoon.

He said: “Hearts is a difficult game and we haven’t given a good account of ourselves against them this season. They’ve been a massive bogey team for us so it’s really important that we go and give a good showing.

“Sub-consciously no one can get beaten heavily twice like that off a team and not be affected by it, but we’re determined to show that we can compete with these teams near the top of the league.

“We’ll go there with a game-plan and if we execute that right, then we’ll give ourselves a great chance.

“We played at Pittodrie and Celtic Park and showed what a good team we are, particularly from a defensive point of view.

“If we can perform like that again then I’m sure we can get a positive result.”

Part of that plan may involve manager Alan Archibald sticking with the 3-5-2 formation he trialled in last week’s late cup defeat to Dundee United.

Despite the last-gasp defeat, Seaborne feels that the formation offers a solid defensive platform from which to counter-attack, but admits they will have to execute that part of the plan better to come away from Tynecastle with a positive result.

“I thought we adapted to the new formation quite well and didn’t really concede many chances,” he said.

“We worked on it in the early part of pre-season, and I think the manager was leaning towards that formation because he thought he had the personnel to play that way.

“It’s something he’s had in his mind and he quite likes it, and I thought we adapted to it quite well.

“In the coming weeks if he chooses to go with it then we’ll be comfortable with it because we’ve been working on it in training."