Kearney bracing players for another tough test against Livingston

St Mirren manager Oran Kearney has told his players not to expect Livingston to drop their standards just because they are safe from relegation.

Livi are involved in a three-way fight for seventh place while St Mirren are battling for Ladbrokes Premiership survival with Dundee and Hamilton during the final five games of the season.

But Livi boss Gary Holt has warned players who slack off that they face a sharp exit from the club and Kearney is sure there will be no shortage in motivation for their opponents at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Saturday.

Kearney, whose team have lost twice to the West Lothian side this season, said on the club’s official website: “I don’t buy into it when people say a team has nothing to play for. I don’t expect Livingston to be any different from the Livingston we have faced this season which has always been a tough task.”

St Mirren face the three teams outside of the relegation battle before playing their nearest rivals in the last two weeks of the season.

Kearney said: “Preparations have been good. We have done our homework and we’ll try our hardest to find a way to win the game.”