THE league table doesn't lie, and the truth hurts for St Mirren.
Defeat in a must-win game is never going to produce a promising outcome and Gary Teale and his players are now staring down the barrel. Relegation from the Premiership and second tier football awaits sooner rather than later.
A 5-0 loss at the hands of Motherwell on Tuesday night won't go down in the history books as the result that finally ended the Saints' hopes of survival, but it was the blow from which they will not recover. Even the most optimistic of Paisley punters are facing up to the harsh reality of the situation in which the club find themselves after a season that started badly and has never got any better.
As Motherwell, Ross County and Partick Thistle have found their form in recent weeks, there has been no response, no answers from St Mirren. Ten points adrift with just 18 left to play for this season, it is a matter of when, not if, they are consigned to the Championship. The post-mortem will soon begin, as will the rebuilding job. Of all the causes for their plight, a lack of fight and desire cannot be cited, according to Jim Goodwin.
"The players go out every game committed and give 100%. There is no player that is not hurting," the Irishman said. "You have got to be honest and say that, over the course, we have not been good enough. It is not a case of lads not trying. The boys are giving their all.
"We have got a young squad and I feel sorry for the young kids - the likes of Stevie Mallan - that have experienced something like this so early on in their careers. Hopefully it will make them stronger and mentally tougher.
"I just think we need to be honest, we weren't good enough over the course of the season. We have got six games left and we are adrift now. There is nothing we can do about it but play for personal pride between now and the end of the season to get as many points on the board as we can.
"There are guys' futures at stake, guys looking for contracts here, looking for contracts elsewhere and there is personal pride at the end of the day."
Already adrift in twelfth spot prior to their trip to Fir Park on Tuesday evening, St Mirren knew only a victory would do if they were to give themselves a chance of completing the great escape this season. It didn't take long for those hopes to be dashed, however.
Three goals down by half-time, Teale's side would lose five on the night as Lee Erwin and John Sutton hit doubles either side of a Scott McDonald strike that gave Motherwell's ambitions of avoiding the drop another shot in the arm.
While the Steelmen will live to fight another day, the last remnants of positive thinking are evaporating from a St Mirren squad that have suffered a series of blows from which they will not recover this season.
"I like to think I am an optimistic person, but you have also got to be realistic," Goodwin said. "It is still mathematically possible but, barring a miracle, I think we have got to accept what is happening.
"I don't believe all the fight is gone, I just think we weren't good enough. We weren't good enough on the night. All the credit should go to Motherwell.
"We are extremely disappointed obviously with the result and the manner of the defeat. I can only apologise to the fans, who turned out in great numbers. There is probably nothing that I can say that will make it better for them. They have backed us to the hilt all season and what we have given them back is not good enough. We all take responsibility for it."
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