Boss warns ‘pathetic’ Saints are now in a relegation fight

ST MIRREN manager Stephen Robinson roasted his players after slipping to defeat against Motherwell and warned them they need to get their heads round the fact they are now stuck in a relegation battle.

The Paisley outfit can still make the top six should they beat Rangers next weekend, but they have lost six out of seven since Robinson replaced Jim Goodwin as boss and the Northern Irishman insists beating the drop is all that matters, with 11th-placed St Johnstone now just six points behind.

The one-time Fir Park manager is also unhappy at several of his players looking to head out the door in the summer and has told them they need to focus on repaying the club.

‘We got what we deserved,’ said Robinson. ‘It’s woeful defending. We’ve the third-worst defensive record in the league, so that’s not surprising. Going forward we were okay and caused problems and created chances. We passed the ball okay but, defensively, we were pathetic. That’s the only way to describe it. They literally passed the goals into the net.

‘I believe we’re in a relegation scrap, 100 per cent. I believed it a few weeks ago, although I didn’t come out and say it. We genuinely need results.

‘We got ourselves into it. The form before Christmas suggested it was going to be a relegation scrap. We’ve gone back to that form. We have players who are good enough, but their heads are elsewhere and it’s up to me to try and find a way to make sure we’re set for next season.

‘Then I can put my own stamp on it and bring in players I need to upgrade the squad.

‘Plenty of players have let me know they won’t be staying but, as usual, I’ll protect them and I’ll get the blame for it. There are players whose minds are already out of the club but it’s up to me to make sure I get a team that’s committed and stays in this division.

‘The club’s been very good to people and we owe it to the club and the fans that there’s better defensive performances than that.

‘It’s up to me to get the best out of them, which we haven’t done so far.’

Motherwell boss Graham Alexander, meanwhile, felt the 4-2 result was wellmerited after 11 games without a win.

‘I’m delighted as I thought the players were superb,’ he said. ‘We were the dominant team. We went a goal down just to stick to the script but the response was fantastic from the players. We were full of belief and confidence, and it was brilliant.

‘We’ve had to sit and take the criticism because of our results and we couldn’t really fight against it, but today we showed what we are as a team.

‘I thought we created our own downfall in the first half a couple of times with our decisions in possession.’