Saints were terrible. Motherwell were better than last season, but that's not saying much. They started the game looking brilliant, but were nothing special in the first half. However, they were always looking by far the more likely of the two teams to score when they went forward.
The absence of Craig Dargo has nothing to do with it. Sure, Stewart Kean and Mehmet hardly troubled Graeme Smith, but can you really think of a chance they could have done better with. They had no service. Garry Brady started on the right wing despite not being a winger in a million years. Stephen O'Donnell, our only really attacking midfielder, was an unused sub. Go figure.
The trouble started after two minutes. Chris Porter and David Clarkson ripped through the Saints defence like a hot knife through butter and set up Stevie McGarry with great chance that he duly took. 1-0 the visitors.
It should have been two a few minutes later when Porter and McGarry combined to provide a great cross for Clarkson, but his header only rattled the bar. Saints response? Tame efforts from David van Zanten and Brady which were never going in.
Seven minutes before the break, Saints had a let off. A McGarry free kick was fired into the wall and skelped Mehmet's elbow, resulting in a penalty. Jim Paterson took it and put it wide, which was quite amusing considering some Motherwell fans behind the goal were already celebrating.
Saints failed to step things up a gear in the second half, the closest to a goal coming when Richard Brittain - on for Brady - duffed a cross that picked out Mark Corcoran, but his difficult volley was wide.
Motherwell, on the other hand, were in control and McGarry, Clarkson and Keith Lasley - who should have been off for three blatant hand balls after being booked - all went close. In the closing minutes, Saints nearly sneaked a point when Alex Burke - you know things are bad when that's your best attacking option from the bench - almost got onto a through ball, but Graeme Smith collected it.
In a word, we were awful. Few chances, shaky at times at the back, no creativity and terrible crossing. We need another striker, a right winger, a creative, attacking midfielder and a centre half.
Still, it can only can get better. It's a trip to Ibrox next...