"There's a belief" - Celtic fear factor dismissed as boss urges team to extend Rangers poor run

Robinson watched his side secure a spot in the Scottish Cup semi-finals at Hampden Park by beating Partick Thistle side 2-1 on Sunday evening thanks to a penalty from Dan Nlundulu and a Jake Young strike just before the break.

They will face Celtic for a place in the final next month and it will be the second time the sides have met at the national stadium this season. Robinson admits his side will go to Hampden with a full belief they can topple Celtic in the final four of the competition and make another domestic final, having beaten them 3-1 in the Premier Sports cup final earlier this year.

"There's a belief that you can do it,” the St Mirren manager told BBC Scotland. “If you've not done it before, then there can be a little bit of apprehension. However, we need to be our best selves, which we haven't been in recent weeks. But we found a way tonight, we have an opportunity to go to Hampden again, which is incredible for this club. Another trip to Hampden, another semi-final. Sometimes that gets overlooked.

“We've got injuries galore. Marcus Fraser is out for eight weeks. Mika Mandron is out for six weeks with a dislocated shoulder. Kion Etete got injured in the warm-up, so we didn't have any centre-forwards to bring on. But we found a way to win [vs Partick Thistle]. We dug in, we were comfortable in the first-half, started the second-half well and could have gone three-nil up, but we didn't.

“You're playing a team who are confident, and winning games in the Championship. They're a good side, but we found a way. I'm very proud of the boys who battled and got us another trip to Hampden. But if you're going to win the cup, you have to beat Celtic or Rangers at some stage. We've done it before, so why not?"

Robinson also took time to praise matchwinner Young, who bagged his second goal in as many games following his January arrival from Stevenage. The 24-year-old forward will be relied on once again when St Mirren welcome title-chasing Rangers to Paisley at Sunday lunchtime, and has been backed to score the goals that lead the Buddies to safety this season.

Rangers have failed to win any of their last three away games against St Mirren, meaning Danny Rohl’s side head to Paisley this weekend without a win in almost two years at the SMiSA Stadium. Currently in 10th place and just three points clear of Kilmarnock in the relegation playoff places, Robinson has urged his players to kick-start their league season by extending their impressive home run against the Glasgow giants at the weekend.

“We've watched Jake for a couple of years,” explained Robinson. “We knew it would take a little bit of time for him to hit the ground. But he's the most natural goal-scorer we have, and for a club like St Mirren, that is hard to find. Two great finishes, when you are not at the top of your game, that's what wins matches for you.

"It has been a tough run since the [Premier Sports] cup final. So many things have gone against us in terms of injuries and decisions. But we're starting to get people back, it takes time - Keanu Baccus, Mark O'Hara, and hopefully Jonah Ayunga by next week. It gives us some more options to come on. But important we start picking points up, in the cup we've been excellent, and we've found ways to win, and we certainly need to start doing that in the league as well."

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