Admit it. Even with our track record, you assumed we could see out the sole minute of injury time. And admit it. As soon as Iain Brines gave a free-kick for Gary Teale's foul on Nicky Law with just seconds left, you knew Motherwell would score.
Despite our new playing style, we have the same problem - conceding late goals. However, this was at least a bit different. In the last few years they have been inevitable while we cling on. Today, while Craig Samson was the far busier keeper, we were still looking for a goal and still pushing in a bid to get three points. That is a positive.
In terms of possession, this was about equal. The difference came in the final third. Saints always wanted to take another pass, another touch before shooting - leaving Darren Randolph with little to do. The over-elaborate stuff at the back got us into trouble, but Samson bailed us out and pulled off a string of great saves as Motherwell were more than willing to have a shot.
It may be another late defeat, but it was an entertaining game and we did look good at times. Lee Mair dealt well with former Saint Michael Higdon and Jeroen Tesselaar looked good. Graham Carey showed what he can do on occasion. It may be same old, same old but there were at least some positives.
As predicted, Marc McAusland and Graham Carey took over from the injured Darren McGregor and suspended Nigel Hasselbaink - the hope being Carey's dead ball delivery would make up for the absence of Hasselbaink's pace. Rather unexpected was the absence of Steven Thomson - the midfield one - who wasn't even on the bench. Kenny McLean came in for him. A straight swap or a change of system? Graeme Smith had finally put his staved finger nightmare behind him to make it onto the bench along with David Barron. While we were missing pace, Motherwell had it in shedloads thanks to Chris Humphrey. Rather less quick - but just as big a threat - was former Saint Michael Higdon, who joined Jamie Murphy in attack.
In light of all the rain this week you'd have been forgiven for thinking the pitch was wet enough, but that didn't stop the sprinklers giving the playing surface even more of a dousing than normal pre-match. But then that seemed to be the norm pre-match with both sides receiving louder than normal ovations from their fans due to their good starts to the seasons. Saints played keep ball for the first minute before Steve Jennings got the ball and kindly played it through to Gary Teale. He was clean through on Randolph but duffed his shot - although the whistle had already gone for a mystery foul.
Some of us had spent our summers thinking about Carey's free-kicks and we got our first chance to see one after about 15 minutes following Nicky Law's foul on McGowan. It was hard and low and deflected off target by a Motherwell player. He took the set-piece that followed and Steven Thompson wasn't far away with getting something on it. However, the game's first real chance arrived at the other end when Law picked out Higdon, who held the ball up before laying it off to Murphy and he sent in a fierce shot that Samson did well to turn behind
While dreaming of Carey's free-kicks, some of us have also been worried about the pass, pass and pass again philosophy - and it nearly caused our downfall after 20 minutes. A throw in was played back to McGowan, who was unable to turn so had to run back to the half way line. He then passed it back to Goodwin, who should have booted it somewhere safe. Instead, he tried to pass it back to Samson and got nowhere near enough on it. Law probably couldn't believe his luck as he raced through on goal - but Samson came to the rescue when he got down brilliantly to turn his shot behind. A lucky let off - and all from our own messing around. Motherwell then had an escape of their own when Shaun Hutchison almost diverted Teale's corner into his own net, the ball just skidding past the post.
Samson was once again the saviour after some more poor defending, suggesting Danny Lennon needs to find a new centre half sooner rather than later. There didn't seem too much danger when Murphy took on McAusland, but worryingly he was able to get past him before pulling the ball back for Higdon. There shouldn't have been any danger as he had his back to goal - but inexplicably he was given the lengthy time and copious amounts of space needed to turn and get in a shot that Samson just got his fingertips to at the expense of a corner. Next time Higdon had a shot it wasn't anywhere near as problematic as it was straight at the Saints goalie.
While Samson was busy, Randolph hadn't had a great deal to do. Three minutes from the break he finally had to deal with a shot, the ball spinning lose into Teale's path who charged forward before sending in a low shot that was straight at the keeper. Higdon had another chance to score before the break when Steven Hammell delivered a good ball, but his glancing header went wide.
McLean tried his luck from 20 yards at the start of the second half but his shot was always going wide, with Teale screaming at him to pass to Vanzy. Jim Goodwin seems to have taken over from Hugh Murray in the stakes to be the first player booked and a poor challenge on Law saw him claim that honour. There was no disputing that one but Vanzy seemed rather unlucky to get a caution for a clash with Hammell - Thompson almost picking up his own booking for dissent.
Finally we started coming to life, Tesselaar working well to send Thompson to the byline and his cutback was knocked behind for a corner. It fell for McGowan at the back post and his shot was somehow deflected onto a line of trajectory that took it nowhere near a Saints player! Next time we went even closer, Carey finding van Zanten in acres of space on the right. His cross seemed too long, but Teale knocked it back across goal only for Thompson to be unable to get enough on it to force it home.
Another good piece of Tesselaar play saw him send Teale away on the left only for his cross to be put behind for a corner. Teale took the set-piece himself and it was partially cleared, but McLean was always stretching for his volley at the edge of the box and it went wide. McGowan then forgot Higdon is no longer a Buddie and duffed the ball through to him, but his volley stung Samson's palms. Motherwell finally had a player booked when Hutchinson fouled Thompson from behind and quite how it took so long only Iain Brines can explain - especially as someone then got away with clobbering Goodwin.
It had been nice to enjoy a spell when we were on top, but Motherwell seemed to regain the upper hand and Samson was alert to use his legs to block a Murphy effort. Then it was time for the first sub, Jon McShane replacing Carey. The former Celtic man had shown flashes of what he can do, but is clearly still some way short of fitness. McLean moved over to fill the rather large gap on the left as Saints opted to play two men up.
There looked to be danger as Motherwell forced a corner, but instead it came at the other end as McShane chased down the clearance. There was a mix-up between Randolph and Steve Jennings and the ball broke for Teale. His shot was blocked and the ball bounced up for Thompson, who sent a volley over the bar when a shot on target would have gone in. Ross Forbes then showed him how it should be done as he tested Samson with a 20 yard drive and the keeper was up to the challenge.
We were still proving able to open up the Motherwell defence and good play between McLean and McGowan should have seen Kenny through with a decent chance, but he shot early and wide. Stuart McCall then took off Jennings and put Stuart Carswell in his place. Goodwin then got some of his own treatment when Higdon got him with a classic striker's challenge and was promptly booked. More nice passing allowed McLean a chance that he curled wide - an effort that would have been similar to to Stephen McGinn's effort against Rangers a few years ago had it gone in.
It's nearly the end of the report, so you know what happens at this stage - but with just a minute of stoppage time you surely today would be different? Wrong! With 20 seconds left, Teale flattened Law. The Saints players and support complained, but it looked a stonewall free-kick. I already had that sinking feeling before Tom Hateley began his run-up and sure enough he put the free-kick straight into the bottom corner. Game over.
Except it wasn't. Play resumed - and there was about 30 seconds of it. So do we punt the ball forward, get it in the box? No, we do our usual passing about at the back and don't even get it out of our own half. It's all very well having pretty, patient build-up - but there are times when we need to punt it forward and this was one of those times.
A disappointing end to what has not been a great week for Saints. It's done with - let's just put it behind us and get back on track against Hibs.