As I said in the preview, I don't think I'm being disrespectful by saying we should be beating them at home as I'm sure their fans would think the same about home games against us. However, it took nearly half an hour for us to threaten, and when we did go in front we conceded almost immediately - something that happens far, far too often. This was a rather worrying display - if we're like that against the newboys, what will we be like against Celtic in two weeks time?
Unsurprisingly, we stuck with the same team that beat Kilmarnock a fortnight ago - with even the same seven players riding pine - meaning anyone hoping for the rare sight of Craig Dargo, Stephen O'Donnell, Steven Robb and Tom Brighton all on the park at the same time would have to wait at least another week. So much for changing the team to suit the opposition. St. Johnstone went with Collin Samuel and Steven Milne up front and kept Alan Main in front, ensuring the standard reception from the home support for the veteran keeper. Anyone expecting the odd Arab sheikh to turn up in the main stand in light of Monday's news was left sadly disappointed.
This should have been a game where we went for it right from the off but instead it was the Saintees who enjoyed more of the early possession, Murray Davidson shooting wide and Samuel causing plenty of problems in the defence. To say the first half of the first half was dire would be an understatement, things only beginning to heat up when St. Johnstone had a penalty appeal turned down when Davidson clashed with Potter.
We had hardly attacked by this stage, but we finally started to threaten when Andy Dorman unleashed a free-kick that went narrowly over. Then we had a penalty appeal of our own when Stephen McGinn snatched a loose ball on the edge of the box, nipped it past David Mackay then promptly went down. This time referee Steven Nicholls decided it was a foul and pointed to the spot, much to the disgust of the visiting support. Billy Mehmet wasn't complaining and he tucked it away to give us a rare home lead.
It wasn't to last. Although Main pulled off a great save to deny Michael Higdon, the Saintees were desperate for an equaliser, Filipe Morais curling a free-kick straight at Gallacher and Samuel having an effort cleared. The leveller arrived just four minutes after we went in front, Jody Morris drilling a shot into the bottom corner. Once again we had failed to hold a lead - and things nearly got worse when a body got in the way of a Davidson shot before Morais put the rebound wide. We should then have had a free-kick ourselves for a foul on Higdon, before Mr Nicholls decided Higdon had actually been the offender and awarded the free-kick the other way. His inexperience was clearly showing and there were a few tasty challenges before the break.
As usual, our first half performance highlighted the chronic lack of width, with McGinn and Dorman doing a lot of the running from midfield, looking for the winger - then realising it was meant to be them! Why on earth were Robb and Brighton both left on the bench when we desperately needed folk to get into the wide areas and produce crosses?
Width was one thing the Fakes had in bucket loads and it almost worked seconds after the restart, Morais delivering a ball that Milne somehow managed to head over from the edge of the six yard box. At the other end McGinn tested Main with a swerving effort, but it rarely threatened to trouble the veteran stopper. Paul Sheerin was booked for a late tackle and Hugh Murray and Davidson was next to get a yellow when he clobbered Steven Thomson. When the free-kick was played in, Higdon somehow managed to lay it off to Thommo but he wasted the chance.
It was beginning to be end to end stuff, Davidson seeing a header saved by Gallacher before Dorman poked a loose ball over the bar. There was an incredible let off for us with 20 minutes to go when Davidson was able to get a header in that somehow stayed out due to Gallacher and the bar, with the rebound bizarrely failing to fall to anyone in a blue shirt. There was another let off when sub Kenny Deuchar came on, Gallacher clawing away his header for a corner. We had some amusement late on when Dargo, on for Higdon, were both booked for a classic handbags moment.
There was only one team looking to win it as the game entered its final stages and it wasn't us. Somehow the Fakes were once again denied by keeper and bar, Chris Millar's shot being blocked by Gallacher and the same player heading the loose ball off the woodwork.
The referee was continuing to infuriate both sets of fans and saved his best for last. A rare attack from ourselves saw sub Tom Brighton barged off the ball and it fell to McGinn in a great position, only for it to be pulled back by the officials. Erm, advantage? Then, with effectively the last action of the game, St. Johnstone's players and fans claimed for a foul in or around the penalty area - and it was given. Against them!
This was a far from good performance by ourselves and is bordering on the unacceptable. The lack of width was clear to see at times, with the Fakes showing exactly what use a couple of wingers can have. We were too pedestrian and St. Johnstone looked a far better side at times, with only Gallacher preventing them from taking victory. In short, it just isn't good enough - and if we keep this up we're in for another long, hard season.