By Graeme Dey

ST JOHNSTONE boss Owen Coyle has ordered his charges to keep their discipline.

Saints had both Simon Mensing (shoving Alex Williams) and Scott Paterson (two yellow cards) sent-off against Clyde last week, taking their red card tally to four for the season.

Coyle reckons his side have been harshly dealt with on occasions but he is only too well aware of how high a price can been exacted by in-discipline.

“Simon lifted his hands to push the boy away, and we all know you cannot raise your hands, so he has been punished under our code of conduct,” said the manager yesterday.

“I am not overly concerned by the red-cards we’ve been picking up—Scott Paterson was unfortunate, as was Mark Campbell at Cowdenbeath—because sometimes things go against you.

“In addition to those dismissals we’ve also conceded a number of goals to deflections and had penalties given against us which Stevie Wonder could have seen weren’t pens!

“If it is the case that the breaks even themselves out over the piece then I’m looking forward to the rest of the season because we are long overdue a slice of luck.

“However, we cannot go creating problems for ourselves and that’s why I have stressed to the players the need to ensure we keep eleven on the park at all times.

“I’ve told them I want them to be competitive but that they must act within the laws of the game and avoid being over-zealous.”

Coyle is keen to put the midweek Bell’s Cup semi-final defeat by Hamilton behind Saints and get back to the job of winning promotion to the SPL.

“I stayed up until five in the morning watching a tape of the Hamilton game, over and over again, and if nothing else that exercise has made me even more determined to ensure we are up there challenging at the top of the league,” he said.

“And I know this group of players can achieve that—providing they perform at the top of their game.”

Coyle has Mensing free of suspension and set to return, along with Kevin James, against Stranraer tomorrow.

Midfielder Darren Sheridan is now fully recovered from his chest infection while Goran Stanic is also restored to health after falling ill earlier in the week.

But Paterson misses out through suspension and Campbell is doubtful owing to a calf knock.