ST MIRREN defender John Potter is relishing tonight's crucial match with Clydesdale Bank Premier League title-chasing Rangers and he insists his team have plenty to play for.
Rangers need victory at Love Street to go into the final day of the league season level on points with Celtic. But all Potter is concerned about is looking for a win that would move Saints above Inverness and into a ninth-place finish.
He said:
"They have to win and we have to perform well to take anything from the game. It's difficult playing them any time, but we'll have to defend well and maybe with that wee bit of luck we might take something from the game.
"If we can perform as we know we can, defend well and take a chance at the other end then we can get a good result. You always want to play big games against the top teams and it could be backs-to-the-wall kind of stuff and we'll all be in for a busy shift."
The game will draw the curtain on a successful campaign for the Buddies, who have already bettered last season's 11th-placed finish. They missed the chance to move above Inverness on Saturday when they drew 0-0 in the Highlands against ten men.
The home side survived for the closing 36 minutes with ten men after Proctor was dismissed for a professional foul on former Inverness striker Craig Dargo.
"David just got a wee bit sloppy at times," said Inverness manager Brewster. "Craig Dargo got in behind him, they both fell and the referee called it a last-man challenge."
He added: "We were excellent in the first half. When you lose David Proctor through the red card you're hoping that you don't concede and Michael Fraser came alive a few times to help save us.
"Our season has gone very up and down, and we've finished the season reasonably well."
Striker Dennis Wyness was given a standing ovation on his last appearance for Inverness when he was substituted in the second half, while Romanian frontman Marius Niculae could also have played his final match for the club. Niculae hit the post, as close as either side went.
Meanwhile, Inverness midfielder Markus Paatelainen is facing six months out of action with a cruciate knee ligament injury, but the club have offered him a six-month contract to see him through his recovery. The 25-year-old could have faced months without a club, as his current deal is close to expiry.
"I think he appreciates that the club have decided to stick by him," said Brewster. "He'll be out for a minimum of six months, but it's a difficult injury which seems to be more common now."
The full article contains 477 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
