I don't want it to go to the wire, says Ross

May 2 2009 by Paul Behan, Paisley Daily Express

ST MIRREN star Jack Ross admits he is desperate to avoid any last day drama as the SPL relegation battle goes down to the wire.

The Buddies take on Inverness Caley Thistle this afternoon in the first of five post-split fixtures.

And a home win at St Mirren Park would go a long way towards ensuring top flight football returns to Paisley next season.

Saints are currently six points clear of bottom dogs Falkirk and Ross would love to have SPL survival secured long before the final round of games on May 23.

The 32-year-old defender told Express Sports: “At the moment, there are five teams involved in the battle to stay in the SPL but I can’t see all five being involved in it right up until the last couple of fixtures.

“It could be possible that it might work out that way due to the way the league is but perhaps only two or three clubs will get sucked back into it.

“It’s going to be the aim of everybody to make sure they’re not one of the teams who are down there.

“That’s why there has been so much work done in our preparations for this weekend’s game.

“We know that, if we win, it will give us a great start after the SPL split and set us up nicely for the games that come after that.”

A win for the Buddies today would move them five points ahead of Inverness and could see them soar nine points clear of Falkirk, depending on how the Bairns get on against Motherwell.

But a defeat against Terry Butcher’s side would see the Highlanders leapfrog Gus MacPherson’s team and leave them firmly stuck in a relegation dogfight that also includes Hamilton and Kilmarnock.

Ross said: “These games after the split are effectively cup finals and we will have no problems getting ready for them.

“In fact, as soon as we got back to training on Monday, the focus was very much on this weekend’s game, which is a huge one for us.

“We know what’s at stake and I’m sure Inverness will know as well.

“It would be nice if we could get to a stage where, with a couple of games remaining, the matches don’t have as much significance but, in order to do that, we have to be winning matches.”