By Ian Roache

ST JOHNSTONE seer Filipe Morais is predicting a tougher time for Saints against Hamilton than they had against Hearts.

Mystic Morais used his psychic powers to foretell how things would unfold during last Saturday’s match at Tynecastle.

He prophesised that substitute Jonatan Johansson would find the net and the Finn did just that, clinching a superb 2-1 win for the visitors.

The former Hibs and Millwall wide man, who had hobbled off with a calf injury after crossing for Collin Samuel’s equaliser, revealed he told Johansson just how things were about to pan out.

“I had been inside the dressing room, had a shower and when I came back out to the dugout I was standing beside JJ,” recalled Morais.

“I told him that he was going to go on and score the winner.

“He didn’t even think he would get a chance to get on the pitch but for some reason I knew he would.

“Then Jose Goncalves of Hearts got a red card and the manager took a gamble by putting JJ on up front.

“He just had a couple of touches before nipping in and grabbing our winner.

“So I guess you can say I am psychic. I was just so sure that was what was going to happen.

“Now it would be really good to go on and beat Hamilton and do the double on them after getting our first SPL victory of the season against them.

“However, my next prediction is that it will be an ever harder game than the Hearts one because they really battle hard and you have to grind it out against them.

“The last time the gaffer changed a rigid formation, so we could battle against them, and we nicked two goals. We will see what he does this time but whatever way we line up it will be difficult.”

Morais felt the excellent outcome at Tynecastle was on the cards.

“It was a great result and we have always been capable of that,” he said.

“Other than perhaps the Celtic and Kilmarnock matches, I thought we could have won every game in the first quarter.

“Now we have that extra bit of experience the boys can kick on.

“We are enjoying being in the SPL but we can still improve and we are determined to do so.

“The confidence is building and building.”

As well as suffering the calf injury last Saturday, Morais has been nursing a back problem this week.

However, his crystal ball tells him that he will be fit to face Accies.

“I hurt my calf during the game last week when there was no one around me,” he recalled.

“I thought I might have pulled the muscle but it transpired that I had not drunk enough fluids the night before and the leg was cramping up. Then I hurt my back during training. We were on the Astroturf because of the bad weather not allowing us to train on grass.

“A disc came out of place and hit a nerve. Nevertheless, I hope to be OK.

“By taking painkillers I can get through a training session and I am sure I would manage a game, even if I have to get an injection.”

Boss Derek McInnes has told the Saints support that they can play a major part in ensuring the points stay at McDiarmid Park tomorrow.

“I have always found Hamilton a tough team to face, both as player and manager,” he said.

“We need to make sure our approach and performance are right and if they are that gives us a bigger chance to win the game.

“A slight concern is that there is an expectation that we should win. I don’t see it that way at all and you have to earn it. I would stress to the supporters that they have an important role to play on Saturday.

“We know it is going to be a tight game and we need the fans to really get behind the team and generate a good atmosphere. Every match is important in the SPL but this is the type that is really crucial to us.”

Graham Gartland is still feeling a twinge in his shoulder, while Kenny Deuchar (groin) and Danny Grainger (thigh) are concerns for McInnes.

Steven Anderson seems to have shrugged off his back trouble and has been training, while Stevie Milne should return to the first-team fold next week.

Midfielder Martin Hardie will head to Glasgow today for a preliminary operation on his knee before the more substantive surgery.

“They need to stabilise the knee before the corrective surgery is done and we wish Martin well,” added McInnes.