GARY Caldwell warned there would be “repercussions” for his Partick Thistle players after the club’s fifth league defeat in a row.

The new manager’s home debut looked set for a 0-0 draw against Ayr United until a goal 13 minutes from time, while credited to defender Michael Rose, is also being claimed by striker Craig Moore.

Former Celtic and Scotland defender Caldwell insisted third-bottom Thistle, now seven points off a play-off spot, require results urgently.

“This club shouldn't be losing matches and we should be higher up this league,” said Caldwell, who recently replaced Alan Archibald as manager.

“We are where we are for a reason and that has to change.

“Players maybe think the manager keeps changing in modern day football – [but] the players will change. If you're falling out of favour with Partick Thistle in the Championship where do you go after that?

“The January window is coming up and I'll find the reason we aren't winning and make changes to make this club better and stronger and fighting up the other end of the table.”

The sharp reminder though came after a performance Caldwell admitted he was “delighted with”, adding that the defeat “must be a mentality issue”.

In a match that was always intriguing but rarely exciting, Ayr had the better of the half-chances, but Thistle would have deserved a much-needed point.

Ayr clinched the win in the space of a dramatic minute.

Firstly, Lawrence Shankland lobbed Thistle goalkeeper Cammy Bell only for the ball to rebound off the top of the crossbar, with Moore’s header then nodded off the line for a corner by Christie Elliott.

From Declan McDaid’s resulting out-swinging delivery, Michael Rose rose highest to thunder a header that Bell could only tip on to the underside of the bar and down – what appeared to be – over the line. Moore bundled home to make sure.

“It looked like it was going to be a 0-0 draw,” admitted second-placed Ayr United’s manager Ian McCall.

“We weren’t clinical, which isn’t like us. Our players will never give up, I wasn’t sure who scored, whether it was Michael or Craig – Moore is saying it’s his.”