Ross County manager Jim McIntyre believes his players have shown they will not be swept aside by the established order of Scottish football.
The Staggies have earned creditable away points with draws at Rangers and Hearts in the last two matches. It is a measure of the progress made by County that McIntyre believes his side should have had more to show for their efforts at Ibrox and Tynecastle.
He said: “We know we cannot keep drawing games though and that’s three in a row for us.
“The players deserve credit for the last two at Tynecastle and Ibrox, but I would rather be taking credit for winning games as it those three points every week which will take us up the table.
“If we take a point away from Tynecastle it’s never a bad result. That goes for any away ground in the Premiership, it’s a tough league.
“We had our goalkeeper Scott Fox to thank for a couple of good saves in the first half on Saturday, but we had chances of our own and I can’t be disappointed with what the players gave against Hearts.
“They were excellent and showed a real togetherness once we went down to 10 men when Ian McShane was sent off. I know all about the character of the players and we know we can compete with the big sides.
“There are teams in this league of good quality, but we have good players as well and what we also have is discipline to go with that quality.”
Central defender Andrew Davies was forced to come off after suffering a head knock when he took a punch to the face in an aerial challenge with Hearts goalkeeper Jack Hamilton at Tynecastle, but McIntyre expects his former captain to be fit to face St Johnstone at Victoria Park on Saturday.
The County manager added: “Andrew is fine. The goalkeeper caught him with his fist but he is a big tough centre back. It happens when two players go for a ball and someone gets there first.”
McShane will miss the game, however, following his dismissal at Tynecastle.
