MacPherson wary of improved Hearts

St Mirren boss Gus MacPherson has steeled himself for a tough test against Hearts and hopes the players have prepared properly.

The Buddies players were told to stay away from training this week in a bid to stop an illness that was spreading through the camp and MacPherson is hopeful that they have got themselves ready for the home clash on Saturday.
"The onus is also on the players to revitalise themselves at this stage of the season. It's up to them to stay fresh. Away from training, they have to be as professional as they possibly can," MacPherson said.
The Saints are still involved in the relegation scrap despite the 4-0 hammering of Celtic, lying five points above Falkirk in the table, and MacPherson is expecting a tight battle against Hearts but his hopeful that if his side plays to its capabilities, they can get something from the game.
"They've had a lot of injuries but you can see the strength in depth they have in that squad. Their target is top six so it'll be a tough game for us," he said.
"Games have been tight between us and this one will be no different.
"But it's about how we play. If our standards are high we can compete with anyone in this league. If we let them drop, we'll get punished."