IT may sound an oxymoronic notion that the team finishing second bottom of the Premiership would be going into the play-offs as the form side, but that is exactly the case as far as St Mirren are concerned ahead of the second-leg of their do-or-die tie against Dundee United tomorrow.
Their midfielder Ryan Flynn was keen to stress in the aftermath of the frenzied goalless draw at Tannadice that the stalemate was the seventh game in a row without defeat for the Saints, and he believes that the momentum is now all with the men in black and white.
“We are looking forward to it, we are in good form,” Flynn said. “We are unbeaten in a while now.
“Usually the team who is in the play-off from the Premiership is one that is out of form, but we don’t feel like that.
“We have momentum, we are up for it and we just can’t wait for Sunday now.
“United’s fans were right behind them and I’m sure our supporters will be right behind us on Sunday in the same way.
“It’s a one-off game now, this is a cup final for both teams. Both teams are good going forward so it will open up in the second game.
“We frustrated United the other night, we only gave them a few chances and that was it.
“We are confident we’ll be able to do the job at home now.”
Dundee United boss Robbie Neilson attempted to turn up the heat on St Mirren after the game on Thursday night by suggesting that the pressure was now on their shoulders, while his team had nothing to lose.
But Flynn contends that the most difficult part of St Mirren’s assignment has been completed in handling the red-hot atmosphere at Tannadice, and that their own supporters will raise their game rather than drag them down under the weight of expectation.
“Play-offs are big games with a lot of atmosphere, so you have to handle them properly,” he said. “You have to play your game and not the occasion.
“I think we handled United at Tannadice, we kept their fans quiet when they were trying to get behind them and took the sting out of the game at the right times.
“We will look forward to Sunday now.”
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