SAINTS READY FOR THE CHALLENGE FROM MOTHERWELL

Tonight sees one of only four scheduled midweek SPL fixture cards over the course of the season and having met Motherwell down at Fir Park in one of them, the Lanarkshire side come to Perth tonight. (7.45pm kick off).

There was a degree of despondency in the wake of Saturday’s dour goalless affair with St Mirren and the poor quality of the football on show perhaps overshadowed the clean sheet and point gained. That’s four games in 2011 without defeat and just one loss in eight and manager Derek McInnes has been accentuating those positives to his players as they prepare for tonight’s game.

“It’s really important that we make the most of our home games in the weeks ahead and I’m hoping the fans will give the players the backing they need to do that. Saturday wasn’t pretty and we will look to adapt to the conditions better against Motherwell.”

Jody Morris should be fit enough to take his place tonight despite a back muscle problem and midfielder Jamie Adams is doing his best to shake off a virus. Defender Danny Grainger is available tonight ahead of a two-game ban which will see him miss Saturday’s trip to Tynecastle and next Tuesday’s game against Hamilton.

Motherwell come to Perth in the early weeks of Stuart McCall’s managerial tenure and while Derek McInnes will roll out the welcome mat for his former Rangers teammate he knows his side will need to show up better than they have done in the two previous encounters against the Fir park side, both of which have been won by Motherwell.

“Two of our poorer performances this season have come against Motherwell, none more so than the game down there in November but I feel we are in better shape now and we will be out to dent the confidence they will have taken from Saturday’s win over Hibs.”

TONIGHTS GAME:

KICK OFF 7.45pm

ADMISSION Season Tickets are valid and there are cash turnstiles across both stands. Motherwell fans will be accommodated in the north end of the Main Stand.

REFEREE Calum Murray

GETTING TO THE GAME Tayside Safety Camera Partnership enforces the speed limit on roads in Tayside with a history of collisions and casualties and speeding drivers.

When travelling to and from the game this weekend, supporters should remember that the Camera Partnership will be using fixed and mobile safety cameras to enforce the speed limits on the roads in Tayside for the safety of all road users.

Tayside Safety Camera Partnership would like to wish all supporters a safe journey to and from the game and ask that they observe the speed limits and drive at an appropriate speed to suit the road and weather conditions.

CAN'T GET TO THE GAME? Live commentary of the game is available in the UK on the BBC Radio Scotland website.

The St Johnstone Official Website will be updated throughout the game.

Highlights of the latest games are available on the BBC website from noon tomorrow.

THE LAST TIME A goal from the now-departed Nick Blackman and a Kevin Rutkiewicz own goal gave the Steel men a 2-0 win in Perth back in September.

St. Johnstone: Smith, Mackay (Jackson 76), Duberry, Rutkiewicz, Taylor, Millar, Davidson, Grainger, Parkin, Haber (Milne 60), Caddis (Maybury 45). Subs not used: Enckleman, Anderson, Dobie, May.

Motherwell: Randolph, Hammell, Reynolds, Craigan, Hateley, Humphrey, Jennings (Forbes 80), Murphy (McHugh 83), Sutton, Lasley, Blackman (Gow 90). Subs not used: Hollis, Page, Casagolda, Pollock.

TONIGHT’S OTHER SPL GAMES: Celtic v Hearts Hibernian v Rangers Inverness CT v Aberdeen St Mirren v Dundee Utd