What were faint hopes before today are now completely extinguished. To have had any chance we probably needed to win our remaining seven games before the split. Instead, we lost today and are now eight points away from the sixth placed side with only 18 points to play for. It's done - and the way things are going we'll be lucky to make the top 10. Lose to Hearts on Wednesday and that one is just about up the spout too.
The League Cup run, combined with Dundee's problems, is helping to disguise what is shaping up to be a pretty poor season in the SPL. Last season was great progress when we finished eighth and a good foundation to build from. Instead, that hasn't happened and we're going to finish in the bottom few places again. It isn't good enough and a lot of thought is going to need to be putting into assembling next season's squad - and Danny Lennon's approach to games. The chances of a Dundee revival are even more remote after today when they decided to give the manager's job to John Brown. Let's just hope he doesn't suddenly pull something out of the bag.
As for today? Gary Teale was still injured so John McGinn started in place of Graham Carey. The BBC stats show we had a few more shots than last week - admittedly not particularly difficult - but the Saintees were the better side. Rowan Vine scored the only goal when we defended poorly at the corner while Steven MacLean and Gregory Tade both hit the woodwork. It could have been a lot worse.
Lennon has made a point of saying he wants the team to be firing in all cylinders ahead of the cup final but it just isn't happening. Three games without a goal is worrying stuff Thankfully at the moment Hearts are also struggling. Hopefully that doesn't change during the week!