St Johnstone boss McInnes is dejected as the United bench celebrate

Derek McInnes admitted the defeat by Dundee United in the Tayside derby was painful for his St Johnstone side.

Liam Craig had a second-half penalty kick saved by United's Dusan Pernis then Jon Daly's header won the game.

"Football's cruel at times and it was a sore one to lose the goal so late on," said McInnes of the 83rd-minute winner.

"We put a lot into the game. We were very close to winning. There are defining moments in games and we had that tonight."

The 1-0 loss means the Perth Saints are three points behind sixth-placed Hearts going into the final match before the Scottish Premier League splits.

However, although disappointed, McInnes was in no mood to point the finger at Craig, whose penalty lacked conviction.

"Liam normally sticks them away and it would be wrong to castigate him for that," said the St Johnstone manager.

"He has done very well this season. He should be pleased with his efforts. He'll be eating himself up with the missed chance.

"But there is a lot of pressure with penalty kicks. If he goes up again next time, he'll stick it in the back of the net.

"We win as a team and we lose as a team. We are disappointed with their goal. At the very least it should have been 0-0."

St Johnstone play at Aberdeen on Sunday and will know by then if a win will clinch a top six-finish because Hearts, with a slightly inferior goal difference, host Kilmarnock the day before.

"We have done very well this year. We want to make sure we finish the season as strong as possible," said McInnes.

"Hearts are in the driving seat - they can only throw it away now. But we'll go to Pittodrie and try to win the game, as we always do.

"I would rather be in Hearts' position. We're not, unfortunately, because of the result tonight and we need to keep going.

"These players have done well. We are always looking to strengthen in key areas but it is difficult because we have limited resources and every other club in the Premier League will pay more than us."

St Johnstone are in their first season back in the SPL and McInnes is looking at how they have fared against Dundee United as a guide to their progress.

"Every game we have played with United, other than the cup game, has been very close," he said.

"They keep doing the right things. That squad has been put together over the last three or four years. We are not far away from them and we've got to take confidence from that."

Next season, though, it looks unlikely that vastly experienced English defender Michael Duberry will be wearing a St Johnstone jersey.

"The big fella's going to go back down the road. He misses his family. He has come up here with a desire to well and every defender who has been in beside him has learned from him," explained McInnes.

"I would love to keep him for next season but I don't think it is possible."

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