McCart vows double wins so Saints can climb back up the table

ST JOHNSTONE are too close to the bottom of the Premiership for comfort, according to defender Jamie McCart.

But back-to-back matches against teams below them in the table gives them a quick chance to rectify that.

The 10-man Perth side were sunk by two late goals against Hibs on Saturday.

Had they held on to the lead Liam Gordon’s goal had given them, it would have been Saints and not their opponents climbing into the top six.

Now the focus has switched to starting an upward surge at Dens Park on Wednesday night.

“We want to get as far away from there (the relegation battle) as possible,” said McCart.

“It’s the same as last year. We really need to kick-start our season.”

Given how famously well-drilled the Saints backline is, playing a full half of football with a man less than Hibs shouldn’t have stopped them holding on to the three points, McCart believes.

And those exceptionally high defensive standards weren’t met in the last 10 minutes.

“Going down to 10 men was always going to make it tough, especially against a good Hibs team,” he said.

“I thought we defended really well but we needed to stay resolute and stick together all the way to the end and it was two disappointing goals we conceded.

“We wanted the win but, after the first goal goes in, we should have made sure we held out for a draw.”

There will be no blame game as far as Craig Bryson, red-carded in first-half injury time, is concerned.

McCart said: “He does a massive job for us in midfield and part of that is putting himself about, being aggressive and making tackles.”

Jamie McCart (right) looks on in despair as Jamie Murphy’s late effort finds the back of the Saints net.