If we had a bit of bottle, we would have seen this game out without any problems. However, when Michael Duberry pulled one back with 10 minutes left you just knew we would mess it up, and sure enough the equaliser arrived late into stoppage time.
More of that later. After last week's disaster against Falkirk there were three changes. Andy Dorman returned as expected while there were also starts for Steven Robb and Stephen O'Donnell, with Garry Brady, Michael Higdon and Chris Innes dropping out. It was a return to a back four and also meant Billy Mehmet was on his own up front, with Dorman pushing forward to support him.
Cillian Sheridan missed a great chance to give the Saintees the lead early on before Dorman was unlucky to see his shot hit the bar. However, 12 minutes before the break the bizarre team selection worked, O'Donnell cutting the ball back for Carey to tap us into the lead.
Before the break Dorman was denied again, this time keeper Graeme Smith doing well to keep out the midfielder's header. However, five minutes into the second half he got his reward, brilliantly chipping Smith to double our lead. A great chance to make it three after some poor defending trundled wide when Mehmet didn't get it right. The Saints players believed there had been some sort of infringement and a penalty should have been given, but no award was forthcoming.
Even so, we should have been on easy street, but sadly this is St. Mirren we're talking about. With 10 minutes left, a free-kick caused chaos, the ball hit the bar then Duberry bundled it over the line. You just knew then we wouldn't hold on to the lead and, deep into stoppage time, St. Johnstone got a dubious free-kick. It was half cleared and Murray Davidson thundered in a shot that was blocked on the line by a hand. Whose hand? No one, not even referee Charlie Richmond, seemed to know for certain. After two minutes of talking to his assistant, he eventually decided to book O'Donnell, and Paul Sheerin blasted home the equaliser from the penalty spot.
The focus will be on the decisions (although it seems to have been a pretty clear penalty) but they cannot disguise the fact we've once again squandered a superb winning position. We were two goals up with 11 minutes left and still couldn't win, which is just unacceptable. Why weren't any changes made to run the clock down - and why only six subs again?
We'd have taken a draw before the game, but to get in a point in that manner is gutwrenching could have a huge impact on the mental state of the players in the next few weeks. The only plus side is we're up to 10th - ahead of Kilmarnock on goal difference and a point above Falkirk. We quite simply have to win against Killie at St. Mirren Park next week.