Calderwood urges Hibs side to keep focus in Paisley

COLIN CALDERWOOD today urged his players not to undo all the good work of the past fortnight by losing to St Mirren in tomorrow's crunch clash.

Victories over Danny Lennon's side and Kilmarnock have eased the Easter Road outfit's relegation worries, opening up a three point gap over the Buddies and an eight point advantage on basement side Hamilton.

But Hibs head along the M8 having not won in Paisley since January, 1999, while they also currently boast the poorest away record in the top flight, two wins and ten defeats in their 12 games "on the road."

Today the Hibs boss admitted that it would be like one step forward, one step back as another defeat would haul Saints level on points with his side once again, but, as he also pointed out: "A win would take us away from them so this makes tomorrow a big game.

"We look for the same result as last time but if they win nothing has changed, we'll have taken a step forward and then a step back, things will have evened themselves up so it will be an exciting game to be involved in."

Insisting Hibs "had nothing to crow about" having achieved back-to-back wins for the first time in three months, ending a spell which had seen them take just two points from ten games, Calderwood, perhaps surprisingly, was equally adamant the mood within the Easter Road dressing-room hadn't changed.

He said: "The atmosphere on the training ground has always been positive. It has helped in the perception of ourselves but that doesn't change what has happened here."

While Graham Stack will retain his place tomorrow, Ian Murray is suspended along with Kevin McBride. Francis Dickoh, however, will be available having won his appeal against last week's red card, but Steven Thicot and Michael Hart are both injured.