A HOMEMADE banner occupied a corner of the East Stand, its message enduring long after the final whistle had blown and the floodlights switched off inside McDiarmid Park.

The sign had been painted in block capitals, but referred to a team which continues to accumulate success quietly, a win yesterday maintaining an ambition of stealing into the European places come the end of the season. St Johnstone: Underestimated since 1884.

As if to back up that sentiment, by the end of play the Perth side had secured three more points and a surer footing in the top six of the SPFL Premiership - Kilmarnock are five points behind in seventh having not played yesterday - a confident performance embellished by two goals from unexpected sources.

Dave Mackay scored the first after four minutes, allowing ample time to get used the idea of the defender comprising an attacking threat. Having ventured to the edge of the penalty area, he was met with calls to shoot, encouragement shouted partly in jest given that it had been 28 games since his last goal. His scudded shot seemed hopeful at first, but was helped on its way into the net by a deflection off Daniel Seaborne.

Mackay celebrated sheepishly and appeared more comfortable offering congratulations to a team-mate when Steven Anderson added a second goal four minutes into the second half. The defender flicked a header into the net following a cross from David Wotherspoon.

"I'm happy," said St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright, who added that midfielder Chris Millar is likely to miss Tuesday's match with Inverness after being taken off with a groin problem in the first half. "This one comes off the back of a couple of defeats and it is important that we go on another run now."

It is a sentiment which would echo around a sullen away dressing room yesterday. A run of one win in eight league games has caused a winter of discontent to set in at Firhill. This defeat brought another chilling reminder of their vulnerability, with Thistle now just seven points above a relegation play-off place.

The chances they created in the first half can be counted with the two fingers a supporter might have been tempted to stick up to the disjointed performance of their side. Ryan Stevenson whipped a shot against the crossbar after 19 minutes and Abdul Osman delivered a cross towards the far post which would have been too high for the onrushing Steven Lawless had the midfielder been given a leg-up. Such a stretch comes naturally to a team afflicted by poor form, and feeling the draught from an open transfer window. Thistle rejected an offer of £30,000 for Stephen O'Donnell from Blackpool last week and will await further offers this month as the full-back enters the final six months of his contract, although manager Alan Archibald is uncomfortable with the prospect of cashing in on a player given such a shallow pool of replacements. "I took him off with an injury so hopefully that interest is dead now," said Archibald, wryly.

Illness and injury has depleted his side already and Thistle started two callow youngsters yesterday: Dale Keenan at left-back and Declan McDaid on the right wing. Both played the full match, but their sudden prominence betrays the shortcomings of this Thistle squad, with substitute Nathan Ecclestone coming closest to scoring only for Brian Easton to block his shot.

"It was bad decision making for their first goal and we switched off for the second. We can't afford to give teams a one-goal start," said Archibald. Especially one which has been underestimated for as long as St Johnstone.