The former Hearts player had an injury-interrupted start to life in Perth but has now made eight starts and helped Saints stay unbeaten so far in December.

Tommy Wright's men have kept three consecutive clean sheets and face teams in and around them in the league before the winter break with a Boxing Day trip to Hamilton followed by a home game against Ross County.

Holt said: "First of all I am just happy to be fit and putting a run of games together, which was the aim coming here.

"Confidence is growing in the squad, clean sheets breed confidence throughout the team.

"I am happy I am playing and it's up to me to keep my place in the team.

"If you ask any player, there is always more to come. You demand more from yourself all the time.

"Coming here, I was just getting back from a knee injury from last season and the most important thing was to get a good bulk of training and a run of games. I am starting to do that and just looking to keep it going."

Saints have beaten Hearts either side of goalless draws with Kilmarnock and St Mirren this month.

Holt said: "Obviously before the St Mirren game we looked at it being three huge games.

"We were obviously disappointed not to get three points there but we have still got another two big ones to look forward to and we are more than capable of getting maximum points if we put in a performance that we know we are capable of.

"It would certainly change the outlook, The table is extremely tight and you know you are only one or two wins away from jumping two or three places, so we know that's within touching distance. That's what we will look to do."