McIntyre wary of consistent Saints
Ross County boss Jim McIntyre had warned his players to beware St Johnstone's magnificent sevens when they host the Perth men on Tuesday night.
The Staggies racked up their sixth Scottish Premiership win in their last seven matches with Saturday's 2-1 victory over Dundee United as they took another vital step towards top-flight survival.
With bottom two Motherwell and St Mirren facing off on Tuesday, McIntyre knows the Dingwall clash with Tommy Wright's men offers County an opportunity to exploit.
But the Staggies boss is worried that St Johnstone's consistent performers may trip up his team.
He said: "St Johnstone are going for the top six for the fourth year on the trot, which is a fabulous achievement.
"They have got a lot of players who I would class as seven out of 10s. You always know what you are getting from them.
"Tuesday night will be a really difficult game. They turned us over back-to-back when we played them earlier on this season in November in the Scottish Cup and then the league.
"The story of those games were that St Johnstone were clinical but we had enough chances to put the ball away.
"It was our own fault that we never did that. This time it will be about who performs on the day. We have to make sure it is us.
"Saturday was a fabulous result for us and hopefully we can bring the level of performance that we have had of late and put away our chances."
Northern Ireland international Alan Mannus believes St Johnstone will have to beat the team of the year so far if they are to secure that top-half finish at Ross County on Tuesday night.
When Saints beat County 2-1 in the Scottish Premiership at McDiarmid Park in November - before knocking them out of the William Hill Scottish Cup a week later by the same score line - the Dingwall side were bottom of the table.
However, Saturday's 2-1 victory at Dundee United was the revitalised Staggies' sixth win in their last seven games and took them 10 points clear of bottom side St Mirren while remaining three ahead of Motherwell, who occupy the play-off place.
The former Linfield and Shamrock Rovers keeper is aware of that fine form ahead of the trip to the Highlands, where, following a 1-1 draw at Hamilton on Saturday, a win for the fifth-placed Perth side would ensure a top-six finish.
He told Press Association Sport: "They seem to be the in-form team and probably the best team, you could argue in 2015,
"It is always difficult but now with the form they are in, it is going to be even more difficult.
"We have always had a hard time up there, they are fighting for their lives and we are fighting to get into the top-six so it is an important game for both us.
"Anything can happen in football and it probably has surprised a few people.
"I always thought they were a good team and hard to play against, especially up there.
"I guess they have surprised people with the string of results they have had so credit to them.
"But we can be good as well and if we are on our game, we can get a result."
Source: PA
