Disappointed, but Perth boss remains defiant
Callum Davidson struck a d efiant tone after watching his St Johnstone side almost certainly consigned to the play-offs.
Beaten at home by a St Mirren side they were looking to haul back into the mix, they could conceivably still finish bottom and face automatic relegation as a consequence.
However, with a fivepoint lead over Tayside neighbours Dundee, who sit 12th now, and only three games to go, it is long odds on they will have to tackle a contender f ro m Championship over two legs for the right to remain in the Premiership.
A play-off which will be against either Arbroath, Inverness Caledonian Thistle or Partick Thistle.
“It’s still in our hands to stay in the league,” said Davidson, as he assessed the situation facing his team.
“Of course, it is very disappointing to lose to St Mirren.
“The fight has been there but today it wasn’t and that’s the thing that has annoyed me most.
“It was always likely to be a game with one goal in it, but if you don’t do the basics well you won’t get chances.
“That’s what happened today. We didn’t play well enough and when we went a goal down we didn’t do enough to put the opposition under pressure.
“We knew it would be a scrappy game and all about first contact and winning second balls, but we didn’t do that.
“That was the biggest disappointment.
“We have been good lately but today I felt we were miles off it.
“St Mirren were quicker to the ball, they had a great chance in a minute and after that the game settled down.
“There wasn’t much football being played, it was second balls but we didn’t deal with that all over the pitch.”
The Saints manager was happy to acknowledge the club’s plight is in sharp contrast to the success of last season.
Then, they pulled off a historic double, winning both League Cup and Scottish Cup and finished fifth in the league for good measure.
“Last year was different, we were playing higher up the league and now we’re at the bottom,” he said.
“Different pressures create different problems.
“It’s a different type of football because players d o n’t wa n t t o ma k e mistakes, so it’s about trying to give them that belief.
“Today was another day, like up at Ross County, where we could tr y to catch a team above us.
“But ultimately we haven’t done it and that is why we are where we are.
“As I say, though, it’s still in our hands to stay up. Is the fight we need to achieve that goal there? Without a doubt.”