A pitch teams will fear to tread

ST JOHNSTONE midfielder Paul Kane wants to turn McDiarmid Park into a ground where the opposition fears to tread.

The ex-Aberdeen player was annoyed that the Perth outfit dropped two valuable home points in last week's draw with Dunfermline.

He is looking for his side to start winning their home games starting with the meeting against his former club this afternoon.

Kane said: ''Teams in the Premier League are looking to pick up the home points and see what they can add to away from home. That is why it was so dis-appointing to drop a couple against Dunfermline last week. We want to have teams fearing coming here.''

Normally Kane would be a valuable asset in giving a run down on Aberdeen given he spent four years at Pittodrie.

But the personnel has changed so much there are very few left from his spell at the club.

He said: ''I have good mem-ories from my time at Aberdeen even though my last season there was a big disappointment when I spent a long time in the reserves. But through the bad times you learn a lot about yourself and I managed to come through it all.

''There have been a lot of changes at Aberdeen since I was there. Eoin Jess had been there and only returned after I had gone and I think it was the same with Gary Smith.

''But John Inglis is still there and a couple of the young boys like Jamie Buchan and Russell Anderson have now come through to the first team.

''Of course, I have also played under the manager, Alex Miller, during my spell at Easter Road with Hibs.

''I think Aberdeen will be looking to do a lot better this season which makes them such dangerous opponents. But we have to concentrate on doing our own job and let opponents worry about us.

''With the exception of Celtic, Rangers and possibly Hearts there is very little to choose between the teams in the Premier League. We are on a level playing field and that is why it is so important to make the most of home advantage.''

A semi-final date in the League Cup is looming with Hearts with Kane contributing to their cup run with a spectacular last minute winner against Falkirk at Brockville.

But the 33-year-old midfielder has noted that new manager Sandy Clark is following the departed Paul Sturrock's philosophy in similar situations.

He said: ''It is the old cliche but they have both stressed you have to take one game at a time and all our efforts are concentrated on the Aberdeen game.''

Meanwhile, if Craig Hignett is right, Kane and his team mates can expect a tough afternoon. Hignet believes the opportunity is there for any team to hit a hot streak and snatch a firm hold of pole position in the league and he is determined Aberdeen will be that side, starting with success at St Johnstone.

Hignett said: ''We've been a little lacklustre in recent games and we have got to get back to winning ways. It's hard to put a finger on exactly what is going wrong. We're only two points off the top of the table, but have given away leads against Dunfermline and Motherwell already this season.

''Had we pressed home our advantage in these games, we'd be sitting pretty at the top.

Hignett will meet a couple of his old Middlesbrough pals at McDiarmid Parks, Alan Kernaghan and Keith O'Halloran, who were team mates of his at Boro.

BOOKIES' VIEW: St Johnstone 7-4, Aberdeen 11-8, draw 11-5.