Andy Considine can see it in the eyes of his St Johnstone team-mates that they are going into their post-split battle for Premiership survival in the right frame of mind.
The veteran defender would have loved to go into the five-match run-in on the back of a victory against Hibs.
But the performance, the point and the reaction in the Perth dressing room after it made Saturday’s 1-1 draw a potentially pivotal moment in their season all the same.
“It’s obviously been a tough week for us all,” said the former Aberdeen man.
“Callum (Davidson) brought me to this club. He’s been magnificent for this club.
“But we’ve worked really hard all week on the training pitch and that showed in the game.
“There was loads of energy – the boys were bang at it – and we just needed that final bit, putting the ball in the back of the net.
“Our heads are a bit low but it’s a positive performance at home when we felt Hibs were hanging on a bit.”
“I thought the players were excellent, they gave me everything I asked of them.”#SaintsTV spoke to Steven MacLean after our 1-1 draw with Hibernian today.#SJFC | @spfl pic.twitter.com/6Ev7ebzbNk
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) April 22, 2023
Considine added: “Our home form needs to improve. We know that.
“Whatever fixtures we get at home, we need to get positive results from them.
“If we show a performance like that one, I don’t think that will be a problem.
“We’ve got experience in that dressing room.
“There’s been a real reality check that we haven’t been good enough as players and as a team at times.
“Now we’ve got a mini-league of five games and we want to finish top.
“I look at those five teams and think: ‘We can win all five’.
“The belief in that dressing room is that we can. We’re more than up for it.”
Striker’s instincts needed
Saints had several near things when they were sustaining second half pressure, Considine’s out-stretched leg at the back post when Stevie May drilled a low shot across goal among them.
“I’ve played it over in my head again and again,” said the Scotland international. “I should’ve been more on my toes.
“Because all Mayso is going to do is flash it across the face of goal.
“My striker’s instincts were left behind when I was about 12 years old unfortunately!
“There was that one and plenty of other opportunities that we need to start taking.
“Creating those chances and being in those positions is positive to see.
“We got a lot more bodies in the box and good crosses were coming in.
“So it will come. It will fall for us.”
The pack closing in
Considine may be confident but he’s not blind to the fact that Dundee United and Kilmarnock are within touching distance, albeit they now have a six-point gap over Ross County.
“Of course you look over your shoulder,” he said.
“The guy on the tannoy was straight at it as soon as the final whistle went!
“It’s a reality that we’re in a fight.
“I looked at the boys in the eye after the game and they are all determined to see it through.
“If we work as hard as we have done in the last week and produce a performance like that, we will be more than ready.”
Interim boss, Steven MacLean can count on the players’ absolute commitment, according to Considine.
They certainly showed that against Hibs.
“We’re all 110% behind Macca,” he said.
“I played with him and obviously he’s been my assistant manager here.
“He’s been fantastic for me, the boys and the club.
“We have to focus on ourselves, on the job at hand and as long as Macca is here we are behind him.
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