This performance was, quite frankly, a disgrace and may just be the day a large number of fans turn against Danny Lennon. Too many players mailed in their performance, went through the motions and assumed they would just need to turn up to secure their place in the fourth round. And while they controlled the game - Peterhead barely threatening - they rarely looked like scoring.
Lennon has to take responsibility for a large part of the display. Bizarre tactics that involved three holding midfield players and a forward playing at wingback were followed by bizarre substitutions. They were like for like, with no desire to change things in a bid to go for the win. He wasn't out screaming at his players for their lacklustre display and he was booed, along with the players, at full time.
Aside from a chance or two at the start and end of the match, Peterhead barely threatened. However, had they snatched a late winner, I certainly wouldn't have been complaining about it being unjust. They stuck to their task, worked away and put in a terrific shift. Even when their legs began failing towards the end they kept going. The farce was summed up when we only looked like scoring on the break.
Let's go back to the start. Those of us wanting to see the likes of Aaron Mooy, Jamie McCluskey and Paul McQuade given run-outs were left sorely disappointed by the fact none were starting and only Mooy was on the bench. Despite that, there were still three changes to the side that lost on Monday, with Sean Lynch, Lee Mair and David van Zanten all making way. Jim Goodwin came in for his debut and was joined in midfield by Steven Thomson, while John Potter returned to defence.
With Paddy Cregg also in midfield, it was hardly the most offensive of line-ups and it looked as of Paul McGowan was playing on the right of a 3-5-2. Hugh Murray was not among the subs, meaning no final appearance for the legend. Peterhead chose Martin Bavidge to spearhead the attack with David Ross, with former Buddie Dennis Wyness left on the bench - perfect for him to spring a surprise as a sub.
After a nervy opening minute in which Peterhead's Neil McVittie was almost presented a great chance to score, Marc McAusland delivered a fine ball for Craig Dargo, only for him to screw up his header when he should have hit the target. It may have been a defensive midfield on paper but Cregg seemed willing to get forward and tested Jon Bateman with a shot that the keeper failed to hold. It took 11 minutes for the first Potter mistake as he almost put Paul Gallacher in trouble with a stupid passback. Gallacher cleared it for a throw in that was eventually worked to Graeme Sharp, but he shot wide.
Cregg was clearly in the mood and rattled the post after good work from Dargo before Higdon duffed a shot over after being found by a low McGowan corner. Midway through the half Mann, who was giving Mark Yardley a run for his money in the shirt size stakes, was replaced by Callum MacDonald. Cregg had another go after that, seeing his shot deflected wide as the snow began to fall, before he delivered a free-kick that Darren McGregor headed just over. A bad clearance from Stuart Smith presented Cregg - who else? - with a chance that this time he put wide. He left someone else have a go after that, McGowan seeing his header turned behind by Bateman.
A few minutes before the interval McGregor ventured forward again and his powerful shot didn't get very far before it whacked into Scott Ross. Sadly, the Peterhead man didn't get up and had to be stretchered off, with Paul Emslie replacing him. In the injury time that followed, Cregg was fouled just outside the box but Higdon's free-kick was never going to cause any difficulties for Bateman. That was it for the first half - we'd rarely been troubled but had rarely threatened.
We desperately needed to change things with the introduction of either Mooy or Kenny McLean and indeed there was a change at half time as van Zanten replaced McAusland. Hmm. It made little difference as we still couldn't do anything in the final third, Thomson letting rip with a shot more out of frustration than anything else that was easy for Bateman to deal with. The next change came after that with Gareth Wardlaw replacing Higdon. Hmm again. A David James-esque effort to deal with a cross by Bateman gifted McGowan with a chance that he shot over when he should at least have hit the target.
Despite the fact we seemed to be in control, the performance was nothing short of a disgrace. There was no penetration, few chances created and the support were getting frustrated. When Peterhead attacked, we countered and it almost provided an opener, Jure Travner moving in from the left before opting to shoot with his weaker foot. It wasn't a bad effort either, going just wide. Goodwin would have been an equally surprise scorer but he almost managed it, seeing his volley deflected wide after a McGowan corner wasn't cleared. Thomson drilled a shot just wide as we began to wake up, although it appeared we were merely stirring in our coma.
The threat of Wyness scoring the winner was removed when Conor Gethins replaced Nicholas Clark before we got the proof that Mooy existed when he replaced the ineffectual McGowan. However, it was nearly Gethins who opened the scoring as he put a shot over. Emslie then had a shot deflected over as Peterhead tried to clinch a shock but when Saints countered from the set-piece, Bateman was at full stretch to deny Dargo's header from van Zanten's cross. It was as close as we'd come to avoiding a replay, the cavalry charge noticeable by it's absence.
The fans made their feelings known at the end and with good reason as this was a shocker. No one can really come out of this with any positives and huge, huge improvements are needed. If this is what happens when we are up against a second division side, God help us.