Source: FOOTYMAD
Got To Keep The Focus
There is no need to look beyond the next game St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes is focused exclusively on Tuesday night's Scottish Cup quarter-final replay with Brechin City at McDiarmid Park. The winners of the game will face the winners of the Motherwell versus Dundee United replay, while cup favourites Celtic take on Aberdeen. The Perth Saints are the favourites to progress on Tuesday and the draw gives them the best chance of reaching the final. McInnes, though, is focusing only on the game against the Irn-Bru Second Division side who held the Perth club to a 2-2 draw in the first match at Glebe Park. McInnes' side only managed to draw 0-0 with bottom side Hamilton on Saturday which is not the best preparation for the game n Tuesday. He said: "If we are being totally honest, ourselves and Brechin were glad that we avoided Celtic, everybody would want to avoid Celtic. But we are not going to get drawn talking about a semi-final that is not ours to talk about. We have got to earn the right to get there. Brechin are a good side and we have to put in a good performance and get a good result before we even talk about a semi-final. I don't think anyone on Saturday was saving themselves for the cup game. We stressed the importance of the Accies game, we knew exactly what it mean to Hamilton and we wanted to be ready for it and by and large we were competitive enough but didn't do enough to change the course of the game. This could be a momentous season for St Johnstone. We have nine league games left and hopefully three cup games left and we need to make sure we go into Tuesday's game with more of a spark and more impetus to go and win the game." Hamilton counterpart, Billy Reid is ignoring the plight of fellow strugglers St Mirren, whose late capitulation against Hearts at Tynecastle keeps the relegation battle interesting. Accies failed again to end their home hoodoo which has seen them unable to win an SPL game in front of their own fans this season. However, the New Douglas Park side went within six points of St Mirren - although the Buddies have a game in hand over them - ahead of their meeting in Paisley after the international break. However, Reid said: "I heard St Mirren were ahead and were pegged back and whatever on Saturday. But we can't influence that. It's what happens here that counts. We were flat for the first 35 minutes against St Johnstone, limited up front, and they were the best team without really doing anything. We came alive for 10 minutes before half-time and in the second half both sides had chances to win the game. But once again we came up short. The game against St Mirren is a big, big game, we all realise that but we are capable of winning." Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net) Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net) This is Scottish-Fitba Net
