CROCKED Partick Thistle duo Stephen McKeown and David Rowson could be set for shock returns against Ross County at Firhill tomorrow.

The news that Rowser is back in the frame just a fortnight after suffering a slight hamstring tweak will further lift an already ebullient Firhill support still delighted by their team's outstanding early- season form.

Rowson, 31, suffered the injury after 36 minutes of the 2-0 defeat at Queen of the South 12 days ago, and at the time it had been thought Thistle's midfield powerhouse was looking at a month on the sidelines, However Jags boss Ian McCall today revealed: "David has responded immediately to treatment and has even managed some training, and it is now a question of waiting to see how he reacts to that.

"The other thing is that, while sometimes you get away with these things, the flip side is that you can take a gamble and then the player is ruled out for a couple of months.

"So we have to be cautious but, in any case, David is well ahead of where we thought he would be."

McKeown, on the other hand, missed the midweek Co-oper-ative Insurance Cup victory over Dundee after taking a bang to a knee, however Dawser is thought almost certain to be available after also resuming training.

Despite Rowson's almost talismanic status at Firhill, a slow early-season start for the former Aberdeen player - who has yet to hit the consistent highs of last season - has, to a certain extent, meant he has not been missed quite as much as expected.

Added to that, McKeown and then Ryan McStay have stood in for Rowser during his two-game absence to more than decent effect.

As such, it would seem a decent bet that McCall will shy away from risking Rowson - especially if McKeown is fit to start against County.

Dawser has been in superb form and has weighed in with four goals - mainly off the bench - but put in a more than decent 90 minutes in the 4-0 trouncing of St Johnstone last Saturday.

The former Airdrie United captain offers a tigerish midfield presence, while he also has the ability to get beyond his strikers and sniff out a goal.

McStay, on the other hand, offers far less defensive cover, his talents mainly being creative.

Although the former Falkirk kid showed a new maturity in midweek when he abandoned last season's high-risk ball that saw Thistle robbed of possession in dangerous areas, Dawser appears, rightly at this stage, to be further up the midfield pecking order.

Regardless, McCall is determined his side's early-season high standards do not fall against a County side who have taken only one point from a possible nine and are seated at the bottom of the table.

The manager said: "The boys have done really well and we are delighted to be sitting second top, just a point off Dundee. But, while all of that is great, it is very early and we have to take each game as it comes.

"We have set ourselves decent standards and we can't afford to let these drop.

I have repeatedly stressed the need to turn the draws we suffered at Firhill last season into wins and, so far, after two home games, we have a 100 per cent record. If we want to continue to challenge we must keep that going tomorrow."

Meanwhile, I understand McCall has decided to stay his hand over adding another midfield player.

The intended SPL target will continue to be monitored until the next transfer window but, with McKeown and Rowson both set to re-enter the midfield fray, the Jags boss is understood to be cautious about signing a player not yet back at full fitness.