St Mirren manager Oran Kearney said his side must treat each game "like a cup final" as he called for a change in the mindset of his players.

Kearney was appointed Saints boss after the Paisley club parted company with Alan Stubbs following a run of four successive defeats.

His first game in charge saw the club secure a point against Celtic before losing 3-0 to Hamilton last weekend.

The Northern Irishman said he is looking to banish any negativity attached to the earlier part of their season as he sets about trying to turn around the club's fortunes.

He said: "I'm not a psychologist by any stretch of the imagination, but I deal with reality and the reality is they have lost games earlier on in the season.

"They have lost goals and with that it probably gives people a bit of an edge or that feeling of doubt more than anything else.

"We've spoken about what went well last Saturday and what didn't, but in the same breathe there's a new script to write this Saturday and what we don't need to do is carry wounds of previous weeks into this.

"At the minute we need to treat each game like a cup final, like its a one-off with everything to play for.

"It's that adaption of a mindset that's really important."

Earlier on Thursday, St Mirren signed goalkeeper Dean Lyness on a deal until January, and Kearney revealed trialists Simeon Jackson and Lewis McGugan could follow.

The Saints boss added: "Simeon Jackson has done well and looked quite positive and Lewis Mcgugan is with us for a week or so, so we'll see how that goes.

"We would be keen to do something [with Simeon Jackson] there and I think we're hoping something will be done there."