St Johnstone midfielder Murray Davidson maintains the squad will not shy away from the task at hand after they suffered a fifth straight league defeat at the weekend.
Hopes of yet another top-six finish were high at the start of the season but a 2-1 loss at home to Kilmarnock now has many fans fearing a scrap at the wrong end of the table.
But Davidson, who netted the opener on Saturday, insists the team have what it takes to turn their fortunes around and start looking up the standings again.
“It is frustrating because we feel that every little mistake is being punished, but at the same time we can’t be unlucky every week,” he said.
“It’s up to ourselves. If we keep giving away poor goals we’re not going to turn it.
“Since I came here, I don’t think we’ve lost five games in the league in a row so it’s only hard work that will get us out of it.
“We’re more than happy to do that.
“We’re an honest set of boys, we’re hard working and we’ve got to prepare for another hard game next Saturday.
“If we keep working hard, get a little bit better at the basics, then I’m sure it will turn.”
Davidson’s goal was one high point of the afternoon’s action, even though replays suggested the ball had not crossed the line.
That means Davidson has now equalled his tally from last season, although he reckons the whole squad must do more to support the strikers when it comes to the goals department.
“I think I scored eight the season before that, but last year I can’t really judge because I was injured,” he said.
“I said before that I think a decent enough return without taking penalties is about one in four, one in five for a midfielder. That was my fifth game and I’ve scored, so hopefully I can go on a little run because it’s something I do like to do.
“It’s important because the year we lost Fran Sandaza, the next season people said we would struggle.
“But the whole of the midfield chipped in and I think there was four or five of us on eight goals.
“Obviously with Stevie MacLean injured we need to get goals from somewhere else so it’s important that along with Brian Graham and James McFadden up top that the midfielders and even defenders are getting their fair share.”
Boss Tommy Wright felt his side should have taken a point at least but dismissed the notion that his team is suffering from a lack of confidence.
“I don’t think there’s a lack of confidence, I think there’s too many mistakes being made,” he said. “There wasn’t a lack of confidence in how we started the game, or a lack of belief in how we started it.
“But one long ball and we don’t deal with it, and we get punished for it. We don’t defend the cross from the corner, and you get punished.”