Midfielder Matt Smith discusses St Johnstone's away form and paying the price for "camping in"

Midfielder Matt Smith is planning to provide St Johnstone supporters with a winter warmer by helping to find a solution to troubles on the road.

Now well into December, the Perth side has still to secure a victory away from McDiarmid Park in the Scottish Premiership this season.

And on their travels they have netted just once - an own goal which arrived in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Fir Park.

Saints return to home soil against Hibs this coming weekend but then have four back-to-back away fixtures before the January break.

Trips to Rangers, Kilmarnock, Livingston and then Dundee are just around the corner.

“It is something we have spoken about as a team,” Smith said of Saints’ away form. “We feel we need to improve that.

“Our home form has picked up recently but our away form is something we’re talking about.

“I felt Saturday was a better away performance in terms of being resolute for long periods.

“But we want to be better away from home. We can’t hide away from that.

“As a group we need to improve it and I’m sure it will be addressed. We’ve got a run of away games coming up at difficult places to go.

“For me, there has been real improvement in the team. We look more of a threat and more together. We need to believe we can improve our away form.”

Smith admits there was big frustration after conceding in the 92nd minute to surrender three points on Saturday.

He said: “We feel we had chances to kill the game off.

“We maybe got a bit too deep in the final stages of the game and that is something we need to work on - be braver and not fear that.

“At times it does feel like we are camping in. The defence do brilliantly with loads of balls into the box but all it takes is one.

“In the first half I thought we