STEVIE MURRAY has set twin targets for Partick Thistle's first home game of the season tonight.

The Jags meet Airdrie United in the CIS Cup first round with the Thistle winger determined to win and entertain the Firhill support in the process.

The 24-year-old said: "It's a big game for us tonight with it being the first game in front of the punters. First, we want to get a victory, but we also want to play some good football. The width and quality of the surface at Firhill helps that.

"Our bread and butter this season has got to be the league but we want to get as far in the cups as possible. Financially, cup competitions are really important for the club and when you get a team from the league below at home, you have got to make the most of that."

Murray revealed he has painful memories of the CIS Cup from his time at Kilmarnock.

He said: "I missed out on the CIS Cup Final last season as I was on loan at Queen of the South when Killie lost to Hibs and that was really frustrating. Having spent so many years at Killie, to miss out on a cup final was a real sore one.

"I had been involved up to the quarter-finals before I went on loan and I was watching the final and thinking what might have been."

Murray's throwback wing trickery has already made him something of a fans favourite.

He admits there was real frustration at Forthbank after Jags failed to hold on to a one-goal lead, and vowed that has only served to up the ante ahead of tonight's visit from the Diamonds.

He rapped: "Stirling for the first match of the season was a difficult game. I felt like we did more than enough to win it. Getting pegged back fairly late on was a big disappointment.

"But that is gone now and all our focus is on getting past Airdrie. Given that they lost their league opener to Raith, they will come here in determined mood and we need to impose ourselves on them."

Murray was the subject of several bone-jarring challenges at Stirling and has concerns over the treatment that awaits Jags' new 18-year-old loan signing from Everton, Stephen Connor.

The Jags winger said: "I took a few sore ones and it was disappointing I didn't get any protection from the referee at Forthbank.

"Stephen did really well for us when he came on. He is very quick and direct and even in the short space of time he was on, he caused the Sirling defence a lot of problems.

"I think he will do really well for us and hopefully add another dimension on the right flank. But he is going to need protection from the referees."

Jags' boss Ian McCall has a full complement to pick from with Jimmy Gibson and Ryan McStay both back from suspension.

Aussie trialist Simon Storey is not cleared to play but may get a chance against Livingston on Saturday.