Murray Davidson has insisted that missing out on St Johnstone’s Scottish Cup win isn’t fuelling his motivation to help the Perth club to another final.
Even if the midfielder already had a cup winners’ medal like the majority of his team-mates, there wouldn’t be any less determination to go all the way in this season’s League Cup.
Asked whether beating Morton this evening and then getting to Hampden Park next spring would mean more because of what he missed out on two Mays ago, the goalscorer at Ibrox in the last round said: “You can look at it like that.
“But I’m quite determined anyway. Before I missed the Scottish Cup final I wanted to be successful and that hasn’t changed.
“I want to get to semi-finals and finals.
“We never set targets. But the squad is experienced enough to know that it’s a short career. Every time you get into the latter stages of a cup competition you want to win it.
“If we win we’re in the semi-final and Morton will be thinking the exact same. It’s a clich but all you can do is to take it one game at a time.
“Hopefully on Tuesday we can get a positive result and get into that semi-final.”
Morton and Saints were drawn together at the same stage of the competition two years ago, and it took a controversial goal from Gary McDonald five minutes into stoppage time to settle the tie.
So Tommy Wright’s men won’t be underestimating the challenge that the mid-table Championship club will pose tonight.
“It would be massive to play in a final but obviously we’ve got a very difficult game tomorrow,” Davidson said.
“It was extremely tough for us a couple of years ago at Cappielow and I’m sure it will be the same this time.
“That one looked like it had 0-0 written all over it. It was literally the last kick of the game. I started on the bench then came on during the second half. I can remember that we were all relieved to get through.
“It’s a tight pitch at Cappielow and I’m sure there will be a big crowd. We know it’s all on us. We need to play well and if we do that I’m sure we will be fine.
“We can’t go down there and expect an easy game. We are old enough and experienced enough to know it will be far from easy.
“We need to make sure we are professional, go about things in the right manner and have the same attitude as on Saturday.”
Saints are full of confidence just now, having won four of their last five matches, two of those with 10 men.
Davidson admitted that Saturday’s last gasp victory in Inverness was a satisfying one.
“We were up against it after getting the captain sent off,” the former Livingston man reflected. “The longer the game goes you would take a point playing with 10 men.
“We did it against Dundee United and to get the goal at the end is a bonus. I’m absolutely delighted with the win and we need to take confidence from it.
“Our record over the last couple seasons up in Inverness hasn’t been great and that was something we had to improve on.
“We were playing in the middle with three against their four. It’s a lot of running for the full team and you need to be mentally strong the longer the game goes on.
“Now we need to try and kick-on again with a big game on Tuesday.”
Suspended Dave Mackay will miss tonight’s match and the league clash with Hamilton on Saturday.
But Davidson believes that the quality of the Perth squad was there for all to see again in the Highlands and will help them cope with a three-game week.
He said: “Brian Easton was on the bench on Saturday, Liam (Craig) was a sub and grabbed the winner and Kano came on too.
“Then there’s Chris Millar and David Wotherspoon to come back. So the strength and depth is good which can only be healthy.”