Saints’gaffer aims for success on home turf

w Excitement for Saturday’s Renfrewshire Derby is on the rise, with St Mirren boss Jack Ross insisting that he is looking forward to the clash.

The Buddies welcome Greenock Morton to Paisley for the first time this season, with the Saints keen to avenge their 4-1 defeat to ‘Ton from the start of this season.

The previous clash between the pair was one to forget for Saints, with a red card for Jack Baird and two penalty kicks putting paid to any opportunity of Ross’ side returning from Inverclyde with the points in the bag.

St Mirren remain unbeaten at home in the league this campaign, a record that Ross is incredibly proud of.

And he has called on his side to continue their good form when Jim Duffy’s side come to to town.

Ross said: “I look forward to every single game that we play at our home stadium because our record there recently has been fantastic.

“I know how we have performed at home, and with the game with it being a derby, then of course there is that extra attraction.

“I would expect there to be a big crowd in through the doors.

“Some people will point at the result at Cappielow earlier in the season but I don’t bother too much about that.”

St Mirren recorded their second clean sheet on the bounce in the weekend draw with Falkirk as they appear to have shored up their defence in recent weeks.

Ross admits it is something that the defenders have been working tirelessly over the course of the past few weeks following a handful of heavy defeats.

And he insists that it has been a team effort, with all the defence involved even if they can’t all get a game on a Saturday.

Ross explained: “Gary Irvine and Stelios both weren’t involved at the weekend, but the clean sheet is a reward for all the defenders for the work that they put in on those areas in training.

“Earlier this season I was disappointed with some of the goals we conceded, but the work was still there from the players.

“The work that they were doing in training was consistent and I think if they have faith in doing that then they will still get their rewards.

“That reward for them is clean sheets.

“When they earn clean sheets like last week and this week then we will earn points from it.

“It is another step forward for us and another step forward from where we want to be at the end of the season.”