TOMMY CRAIG hopes practice will make perfect for shot-shy St Mirren.

A lack of cutting edge has cost the Buddies dear this season and they head into Saturday's clash with Hamilton Accies second bottom of the Premiership standings.

Craig's side fired another blank as they crashed to a 1-0 home defeat to Partick Thistle last time out.

The Paisley gaffer has spent the international break putting his players through their paces and looking to find a solution to their scoring problems ahead of their return to action tomorrow.

The pressure is mounting ahead of the trip to New Douglas Park and Craig knows they need to start scoring and picking up points sooner rather than later.

He said: "Bear in mind we have Drury, Kello and a handful of players that come from outwith the country, it was an opportunity for them to have an extended break, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But we have used the sessions as finishing sessions.

"We have stripped it right back to the basics so that we are giving everyone an opportunity, defenders also, to go and head the ball into the goal.

"We call it a crossing and finishing exercise. And we have done that every day, just to try to give them the confidence to put it where it matters.

"There is not much more wrong, other than that repetitive reason I'm giving you.

"The situation is not going to change unless we can put the ball in the back of the net."

It is not just up front where St Mirren have struggled this season, with a lack of goals only half the story of their Premiership problems.

Defeat to Thistle a fortnight ago allowed Ross County to go level on points with the Buddies and Craig has been searching for a solution since.

He said: "The Thistle game seems a lifetime ago only because the situation we're in. I was itching to get back to work on the Monday after it. The lads had wound down, if you like, but you carry it about with you 24/7.

"It's always on your mind what can we do? Is there anything we can improve on? Is there anything we need to do behind the scenes?"

While St Mirren have toiled this term, Hamilton have been the succcess story of the season so far.

Alex Neil's side are just two points off top spot in the table and Craig has been impressed with the Accies approach.

HE said: "They came here and beat us and they beat us well. It was probably our most inneffective display of the season. What they have got is something any manager looks for. Can you get goals from six or seven areas?

"Can your full-backs get in, can your midfield players weigh in with seven or eight goals? And Hamilton have done that.

"They have a good mix that way. Right down the middle they have a good backbone."