Simo Valakari has admitted that his St Johnstone team are letting Ross County off the hook in the Premiership basement battle.
The Dingwall men have now been beaten six times in a row, including their latest match against Hearts.
Saints could have set-up an opportunity to leapfrog County next weekend but lost themselves, 2-0 to Kilmarnock.
Valakari knows the Perth side haven’t earned their “lifeline”.
And time is running out for them to take it.
“The fight continues because the other results mean we still have a lifeline,” said the Finn.
“It’s getting more and more difficult and it’s more likely that next week is our last chance.
“We’ll be playing against our direct opponents and there’s no other option than to keep pushing.
“It sounds crazy – and people outside will not believe it, but we need to believe in here.
“Our only option is to win our next match.
“Our problem has been that we haven’t been able to capitalise on other results going our way.
“The teams above us have been able to lose because we haven’t put pressure on them.
“It’s all about us.
“They can come here to not lose but we need to win.”
Self-inflicted wound
Saints shot themselves in the foot again, conceding early by not getting the ball out of their penalty box.
“To be able to win next week we need to be better in some football moments,” said Valakari.
“That’s how we conceded the first goal today.
“It was silly decisions not to clear the ball out of the stadium.
“At this moment we were a little bit asleep, and it was a great shot from their player to score.
“These things have been happening for us.
“We had our chances but we need to fight so hard to score a goal.”
Saints were behind after just 12 minutes.
As has happened so often this season, they had a chance to clear the ball into the stand but Daniels Balodis failed to take it and a few passes later, David Watson had curled a shot from the edge of the box beyond the reach of Andy Fisher.
Uche Ikpeazu made his first start for St Johnstone and did well to set-up a chance for Makenzie Kirk, who wasn’t as clinical as he had been at Fir Park the week before.
The roles were reversed later in the first half when Kirk headed an Elliot Watt cross into the path of his fellow striker.
Killie goalkeeper, Kieran O’Hara, did his job by not committing himself too early but Ikpeazu should have scored from close range.
The former Hearts man had an even better chance with a six-yard header early in the second half but even if he had found the net it wouldn’t have counted as referee Iain Snedden was sent to check his pitchside monitor.
A Victor Griffith foul on Rory McKenzie was spotted by VAR official, Andrew Dallas, a penalty was awarded and Danny Armstrong scored from the spot to make it 2-0 Killie.
Valakari said: “I haven’t seen it back but when you make these runs from midfield, you always ask questions of defenders and it’s a possibility that you get a penalty.
“At 2-0 down it was difficult.”
Fight must go on
Saints huffed and puffed to get back into the game but didn’t seriously threaten a fightback.
Valakai added: “I understand the players put their heart and soul into it – the pressure is on them.
“You can start making not the best decisions and you get punished, and then it’s even more difficult.
“But it’s very clear now that we cannot feel sorry for ourselves. Yes, frustrated, everyone is down.
“But we need a cool head. We need, physically and mentally, to come and play, and that’s the only thing we can do.
“It’s crazy. It should not be this way because we have been so down already, but we are still in this.
“So, let’s fight and see where it takes us.”
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