Two sides that need the points on offer meet today to move away from the wrong end of the table.

St Johnstone are looking to pile on the misery for Falkirk today as they strive to gain more points in the league. The Saints have a Co-Operative Insurance Cup semi-final to look forward to but that is for another day. Today is a day that manager Derek McInnes insists his team must concentrate on league business at McDiarmid Park. The Perth men won are through to their fourth major cup semi-final in four years when they beat Dundee United 2-1 at home on Tuesday night. The Bairns have their own dreams and that is to pick up three points and leapfrog past St Johnstone, who are just two points ahead at third bottom. Jody Morris, who has just agreed another two year contract, has recovered from a virus in time for today's game but midfielder Martin Hardie (calf) and striker Collin Samuel (knock) are extremely doubtful, as is midfielder Kevin Moon (ankle).

Saints boss McInnes said: "No team has greater need for points than us. We are in desperate need of a win because we have nowhere near enough points yet. We have two games to play before we have completed the first quarter of the league season and we need points for the target I privately set the team. You have to work hard for everything you get. Falkirk worked extremely hard for the point they got at Tynecastle last week and they have good players who have SPL experience. So we need to work hard to make sure the points stay in Perth. But we go in to the game in buoyant mood after the cup win over Dundee United in midweek."Saints have managed to deliver four cup wins to one in the SPL this season, but McInnes played down notions of his side being more of a cup side. He said: "There is nothing to read in to it. We won the First Division last season and we didn't have a cup run. The performances in the cup and league have not been any different this season."

HomeAway
TeamPWDLFAWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic92208440194920
2Rangers932011422042919
3Hibs93117321175617
4Dundee Utd92115323074516
5Motherwell92115414065214
6St Mirren91316720265012
7Aberdeen91223613041011
8Kilmarnock92217401315-19
9Hearts92114302359-39
10St Johnstone902279113611-76
11Hamilton911337013310-115
12Falkirk90222602327-94


Alex MacDonald is determined to fire Falkirk off the bottom of the SPL. He listened to manager Eddie May's fitness warning and is seeing the benefits. The striker is on-loan from Burnley and could face Saints having made his first start since August during Saturday's goalless draw at Hearts. May had a heart-to-heart with MacDonald and made it plan with a few home truths that he needed to improve his stamina, and his lifestyle. MacDonald responded in the right way by adapting his diet and undergoing individual training sessions with coach Steven Pressley to shed pounds and get back in the manager's plans.

May said: "Previously he wasn't in any physical condition to start a game. We pointed that out to him. To his credit, he has come back in good condition - and we're seeing the benefit on the park. Fair play to Alex - he shouldn't be in that condition in the first place but he has adapted. Alex is young and he has come away from home - he has experienced a different lifestyle - so sometimes it takes a bit of adapting as a young boy. Alex knows where he wants to go, and he certainly knows where we want to take him." MacDonald said: "It's brilliant to be back playing. I needed to get fitter. But now all that's behind me I hope it's onwards and upwards from here. I lost some fitness, so some extra work on the training ground has worked. It was just me and `Elvis' at times out there. He has worked me very hard, and now I'm seeing the benefits."

Editor
Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba.net)

Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba.net)

This is Scottish-Fitba.Net