Teale identifies three-team league
Gary Teale has condensed the Scottish Premiership into a three-team league for now as St Mirren look to climb out of the relegation zone against Dundee on Saturday.
The Buddies' caretaker boss has arrested a worrying slide in the last two games with a win at bottom side Ross County and a home draw against Dundee United.
Victory over the other Tayside club will take them above Motherwell and out of the relegation play-off spot, providing the struggling Steelmen lose against Dundee United at Tannadice.
And for the meantime, that is all Teale is focusing on.
The former Scotland winger, who has skipper Steven Thompson back in contention after the 36-year-old recovered from a hernia operation earlier in the month, said: "I am looking at the league and there are three teams at this moment in time.
"I am not getting any further ahead of myself.
"I am looking at us to be top of those three teams, that is the incentive.
"Over the last weeks or so we have been sitting in the bottom two. So it is a massive incentive for us.
"That is where we are looking to be.
"If we get to the top of those three teams we can start looking forward.
"But until we get there, that is all I am concerning myself with."
Teale is delighted to have Yoann Arquin available after successfully appealing the red card which cut short his St Mirren debut at Ross County last week.
The former Staggies forward lasted just 37 minutes before being sent off after a challenge on Dingwall defender Lewis Toshney.
The red card was downgraded to a yellow by the Scottish Football Association's judicial panel which left Arquin free to face Dundee, although it emerged that the decision was based on a technicality.
However, Teale, hopeful of bringing in at least one more player next week, was unconcerned about the details.
He said: "It was news to me. I heard that this morning.
"I got told by the club's lawyer yesterday that they rescinded the red down to a yellow card.
"I wasn't really concerning myself about the details.
"I am just delighted to have him available, that is all I am concerned about."
Dundee's injury problems have eased.
Defender Paul McGinn is still out with a back injury, but James McPake should be fit after coming off against Kilmarnock in his comeback from a rib injury.
Goalkeeper Kyle Letheren (thigh) is unlikely to feature, but Hartley otherwise has a full squad.
Hartley has praised his players for overcoming a difficult spell and showing the character to mount a top-six challenge.
Dundee went eight Scottish Premiership games without victory before turning the corner with a 4-1 win over Motherwell earlier this month.
They came within seconds of beating Aberdeen at Pittodrie a week later and returned to winning ways against Kilmarnock on Wednesday night.
And Hartley is looking for his men to build on that form.
He said: "We had a spell where we couldn't win at home but now we have found a way to win at Dens.
"We are happy with that and it puts us nearer the top six also. There's a fight to get into that top six and we are right in amongst it.
"We'll take each game as it comes because that's what we're in the habit of doing.
"St Mirren are a good side as we know from when they came to Dens Park recently.
"They have some good players but we'll concentrate on ourselves and look to get the three points."
Source: PA
