Derek McInnes insists his St Johnstone team will put aside dreams of cup glory to concentrate on crucial Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League points when they welcome rock-bottom Falkirk to McDiarmid Park.

The Perth men won through to their fourth major cup semi-final in four years with a 2-1 home win over Dundee United in the Co-operative Insurance Cup on Tuesday night.

However, a victory for the struggling Bairns, with four points from nine games and still looking for their first SPL win of the season, would see them leapfrog St Johnstone, who are only two points ahead.

"No team has greater need for points than us," Saints boss McInnes said.

"We are in desperate need of a win because we have nowhere near enough points yet.

"We have two games to play before we have completed the first quarter of the league season and we need points for the target I privately set the team.

"You have to work hard for everything you get.

"Falkirk worked extremely hard for the point they got at Tynecastle last week and they have good players who have SPL experience.

"So we need to work hard to make sure the points stay in Perth.

"But we go in to the game in buoyant mood after the cup win over Dundee United in midweek."

Saints have four cup wins to one SPL victory this season, but McInnes played down notions of his side being more of a cup side.

"There is nothing to read in to it," he said.

"We won the First Division last season and we didn't have a cup run.

"The performances in the cup and league have not been any different this season.

"We have beaten two lower-league teams in the cup and also Hibs and Dundee United, who are two tough teams.

"But it is a thin line between winning and losing.

"So while the performances have been the same, the outcomes in the two different competitions have been different.

"We would sacrifice cup runs for the league but it's another semi-final, which is good financially for the club.

"We are one step from a final, which is a big thing in a player's career.

"It's something to look forward to and we hope we go in to the semi-final in good form whenever it is played next year but for now we have to concentrate on the league."