ST MIRREN manager Stephen Robinson insists his players will have no fear as they take on Rangers at Ibrox this weekend.

The Buddies, who currently occupy fifth place in the cinch Premiership table, will go into the match in buoyant mood after an impressive 2-0 victory at Tynecastle on Saturday.

That result means Robinson's team are now five points clear of seventh-placed Livingston and on course for a top-six finish for the first time since the split was introduced more than two decades ago.

Speaking after the Hearts match, he said: "This group of players just keep defying the odds.

"The squad we have here have got a real belief in them. We believed we could come here and win today, there was no bravado in that. We believed we could do that.

"We proved that and now we need to go to Ibrox and get points.

"We've beaten Hearts, who were third in the table before today, we've drawn with Rangers, we've beaten Celtic, so we don't fear anybody.

"When we're disciplined and play within our shape, we're a very difficult team to break down."

Results elsewhere at the weekend were also largely kind to Saints, with Hibernian and Livingston suffering defeats at Dundee United and Motherwell respectively.

It means that, even if the Buddies lose at Ibrox, a win in their last game before the split – at home to struggling Kilmarnock – would guarantee that coveted top-six spot and a chance to push on for a European place.

However, cautious Robinson is taking nothing for granted.

He said: "The top six will be guaranteed when no-one can catch us.

"At the moment, teams can still catch us."

Asked about his team's hopes of qualifying for Europe, he added: "We need to get into the top six first but we've proved we can compete with anybody."

Despite recording a rare win at Tynecastle, Robinson still took time to stress that his players could have produced a more complete performance.

"We started not the way we usually do and, for the first 20 minutes, there was nervousness from both sides," he said.

"We were caught between whether to press high or sit where we usually sit but we changed it after 20 minutes and, after that, we felt comfortable and forced Hearts into areas that we wanted them to play in and took the ball off them.

"Our decision-making wasn't as good in the first half but, in the second half, it was excellent.

"Hearts are a good side who have players who can change the game, so we had to concentrate and be disciplined.

"Credit to the players to win at a very, very difficult venue."