It is make-or-break time in St Johnstone’s season with just three games remaining for the Perth side to secure top-six status for the second season running.
Saints slumped to a disappointing defeat on Tuesday night at Tynecastle, losing 2-0, but midfielder Chris Millar insists that defeat was not a sign Steve Lomas’s side are starting to crack under the pressure.
Instead, he believes it was simply a bad night at the office and he has no worries that the St Johnstone squad can cope with the weight of expectation on their shoulders something they aim to prove when they host Kilmarnock.
He said: “It certainly doesn’t prey on my mind. The top six is where we should aim and I think we have a squad good enough to get there.
“I honestly can’t put my finger on what went wrong against Hearts but it simply wasn’t good enough. We have three games to go to the split and that’s something we can’t allow to happen again.
“We have to win two of them to be sure of a place in the top six and that may bring pressure if you want to call it that. But I don’t look at it that way.
“It is our job and that’s where we should be aiming for and if we’re not, we are underachieving, it’s as simple as that. If we don’t make it, we would definitely feel we had failed in our objectives.
“Our aim is to break into that top six. With Rangers now out of the league and other teams coming into the SPL from the division below there are supposedly easier games, so we really should be finishing up there.
“We have to be mentally strong and take it on the chin that we deservedly lost the Hearts game, regroup, rally and be ready to go again.
“The Kilmarnock game is now a massive one for us. I was looking at the table and we are three points in front of them. If we win, then that will be six and that means they have to win all their games to get into that top six that’s how close it is.
“So it is a huge game and I am sure all the boys realise that. We will have the right attitude and team on the park to get that win.”
Everyone connected with St Johnstone relished their taste of European football this season when they were drawn against Turkish side Eskisehirspor in the Europa League back in July.
Fans are already hoping for a repeat foreign adventure but Millar insists the players simply have to retain their focus on actually securing that top six finish.
He said: “Finishing in the top six is the main aim first and foremost. After that, you have five games to hopefully nail on getting a European spot.
“It was a fantastic experience last year. Our fans made great bonds with theirs and I am sure they will have lifelong memories. You want to have them every year so that’s what is at stake.
“There are financial implications for the club so that’s what is riding on the next three games. These are the sort of matches we should be relishing.
“We have a gap coming up after the Kilmarnock game and there is nothing worse than having a poor result festering in your mind, thinking, ‘What if?’
“Killie will be tough but we are at home and it is definitely winnable. We have a great record against them and hopefully that will continue.
“They have a lot to play for as well and it will come down to who wants it most.”
Millar, who was an unused sub against Hearts, admitted the Saints will have to regain their hunger and appetite for the fight when they line up against Kilmarnock.
He said: “It was a disappointing performance all round against Hearts.
“We have set high standards this year and I felt we fell well below that. From a personal point of view, the most disappointing thing was that we didn’t look hungry.
“We have a lot to play for. Hearts are down at the bottom of the league and we are supposedly fighting for the top two or three places but I felt there wasn’t a lot of fight there.
“Everybody can have a bad day performance wise but I just felt there wasn’t a lot of hunger there. We were really prepared for the game and we should have put in a much better performance so we have to rectify that on Saturday.
“There has to be a lot more desire and hopefully with that will come a performance as well.”
Saints will be without the suspended Paddy Cregg while centre-half Frazer Wright is a major injury doubt.