Jim asks for Saints to be so solid crew

The Buddies have kept clean sheets in their last two games, earning a point in a 0-0 draw at Ross County in SPL action, and posting an unblemished 2-0 William Hill Scottish Cup fourth round success over Brechin.

With a 3-1 success over Dundee preceding both these games, Goody is confident that Danny Lennon's men can prevail in the battle of the Saints to continue their climb back into the mid-table pack.

The St Mirren skipper said: "I think the two back-to-back clean sheets have been really welcome. Prior to our win over Dundee we had been on a bad run and we were just shipping far too many goals.

"I am not blaming the defence, it was just that the whole team was not doing enough to stay solid and keep the clean sheet.

"But we fronted up against Dundee and got a very welcome three points, then went up to County and kept the clean sheet to get a valuable draw and backed that up with another clean sheet against Brechin.

"What is more the gaffer made several changes against Brechin and none of the boys that came in let him down. So the manager is picking from a position of strength for the St Johnstone game.

"Everyone is keen to build on the run and really start to get back in among the pack."

Although top scorer Steven Thompson missed the tie with Brechin with a rib cartilage injury, he has resumed training and should be fit to resume his normal place at the apex of the Paisley attack.

St Mirren lost out 2-1 the last time the two sides met at McDiarmid Park on October 6, with Buddies old boy Nigel Hasselbaink causing the damage.

But Goody is keen to avenge that showing.

He said: "Nigel had a great game and brought it all to the table against us.

"We know how good he is on the ball and how direct he is and he was on top of his game. So the lads know they owe him one.

"It is up to us to make sure that individually everyone of us matches and betters the efforts of St Johnstone. If we do that we will be fine."