PARTICK THISTLE striker Liam Buchanan has vowed to fight through the pain barrier to continue leading the line until the end of the season.

The Jags' top scorer was given a pain-killing cortisone injection on Monday to help relieve some of the discomfort and tightness in his troublesome groin.

The best Buckie can hope for on Saturday at Stirling will be a bench spot, but the diminutive striker is determined to play in the potentially season-defining Scottish Cup fifth round replay at home to Livingston next Tuesday.

The 22-year-old admitted: "I had the shot earlier this week and as it is into the muscle it is not a problem.

"Obviously I have been suffering on and off with the groin condition for a while now and on Saturday at Livingston I felt I could hardly move.

"I just wasn't able to make any runs and by the second half I needed to come off.

"So we made the decision to have the shot and although the groin is still tight it is easing off with each day.

"The plan is that if all goes according to plan I will be on the bench for the trip to Stirling and then hopefully be ready to play a full part for the Scottish Cup replay with Livi. But it's very frustrating as I had been in really good form and we've some huge games coming up."

And Buchanan has admitted that he has an ulterior motive for making the Livi replay.

He revealed: "I am a Hibs supporter and I am desperate to try and help us get past Livi and then hopefully I would realise my dream of playing against the Hibees at Easter Road - although Rangers may have something to say about that.

"But there is no point worrying about that as Livi will come here determined to book a big pay day and that matters just as much as it does to us."

Buchanan added: "The other thing is that the Stirling game is a big one for us as they are coming off the back of a great result with their win at Clyde.

"They will believe with the game being at home that they can take another three points and build some real momentum.

"So there is no point getting ahead of ourselves. The last thing we want is to get pulled into a play-off dogfight and from the other point of view you want a positive result to take into the replay with Livi."

The news that Buchanan's groin condition has reached season-threatening status is more bad news for the Firhill faithful after it was confirmed, exclusively in yesterday's SportTimes, that his frontline partner Mark Roberts will be out for three weeks with a slight calf tear.

As a result, with both the Jags' first-choice frontmen out for the trip to Forthbank, new Czech Republic signing Vitezslav Mooc may make his debut against the Binos.

However, international clearance has not yet arrived for Mooc and Thistle are currently desperately trying to hurry through his papers in order to make him available for the league six-pointer.

One way or another it would now seem certain that Paul Keegan will lead the line at Forthbank, but if manager McCall elects to play two-up the identity of his partner is open to conjecture.

Meanwhile, Thistle's rearranged league game with Livi will now go ahead at Firhill on Tuesday, February 26, with a 7.30pm kick-off.