Callum Davidson believes Shaun Rooney will prove to be a key player for St Johnstone between now and the end of the season.
The defender scored the equaliser against Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday to secure a precious point as Saints try to claw their way clear of the relegation play-off spot.
Saints face the Buddies at McDiarmid Park next week and Davidson is looking for Rooney – who had an operation on a long-term ankle problem in February – to drive the team on once more.
Davidson said: “We have missed him this season especially in both boxes. I thought his second-half performance was excellent.
“I also thought he led the group and I am delighted he got the goal. He is going to be a valuable player for us in the next four games.”
Saints were a goal behind and second best to a fired-up Dundee side at half-time on Saturday but Davidson revealed there were no harsh words from him at the interval.
The former Scotland defender said: “I told them to just relax and to move the ball quicker. That was the message, it wasn’t a kick up the backside.”
Davidson admitted that his players were caught in two minds after equalising.
They knew that a draw would keep them five points clear of bottom-of-the-table Dundee with just four games left while going for the win that would all-but send the Dark Blues down could come back to haunt them.
Davidson said: “We lost a really poor goal, then after that we had a lot of possession but we struggled to break them down.
“We didn’t move the ball quickly enough. Second half the tempo and the passing was better – there was more energy.
“Our football was excellent and we deservedly got back into the game. After that it was a little bit like, ‘do you want the point or do you want the three points?’.
“It was a really hard one. I think you could sense a bit of hesitation from my players there.
“But we are delighted with the courage and character they showed especially after going 1-0 down.
“They could have collapsed and we weren’t finding a way through Dundee once they sat in but we managed to in the second half and credit to them.”
