The players had wanted to make it a fortress, a sturdy redoubt of fearsome renown, but St Mirren Park remains about as formidable as a potting shed at the Brediland Allotments.
"It can't continue," lamented John McGinn after yet another defeat in their own backyard. "At the start of the season we wanted to make this place our fortress and we've done the opposite. It's embarrassing really. We want fans to come along and see their team scoring goals and picking up points and we've not done it."
The Paisley side's troubles on the home front are well documented. Given that you have to trawl back to May 3 2014 to find evidence of a last victory on their own turf, a leaf through the increasingly fusty records is like thumbing away at the Dead Sea Scrolls. Saturday's latest surrender was another sore one to stomach. A goal to the good and in reasonable shape, after Kenny McLean's fine, raking strike as half-time loomed, St Mirren were let down again by shoddy defending and a crippling profligacy as a resurgent Dundee plundered the three points.
The hosts would complain about an equaliser that had a whiff of offside about it and the controversial sending off of Yoann Arquin for a dive but they only had themselves to blame for not seizing on the bountiful opportunities that came their way. McGinn himself was guilty of such wastefulness when he nodded a free header over the bar from a glorious position.
"I've not scored all season and I'm maybe thinking about getting a goal too much," added the 20-year-old. "Everybody keeps reminding me about the fact that I haven't scored. Maybe if I didn't think about it as much I would have headed that one in. But we all have to take our chances and start shoring things up at the back. It's as simple as that. We get ourselves into these good positions and play well and then we decide to shoot ourselves in the foot again. It's been the story of our season and it's something we have to eradicate."
Mired in the relegation play-off spot and two points behind third bottom Motherwell, McGinn remains optimistic that St Mirren can dig themselves out of the pit. With McLean providing plenty of quality, and Stevie Mallan pulling the strings, there are positives to cling to. There are always 'buts', however.
"There is still belief in the dressing room," reported McGinn. "We have players of Kenny's ability and if he can continue to produce goals like that then we have nothing to worry about. But if we lose goals like we do at home then we'll have a problem. I remember a few years ago when Dundee were chasing us we were looking over our shoulder and it's not nice. We were always looking for their result. We need to make sure we do that to Motherwell and hopefully catch them."
While the Saints went trudging in at the final whistle, the Dundee players trotted off with a spring in their step as the team from the City of Discovery continued their recovery. There was a time when a Gary Irvine goal was as rare as a St Mirren home win but, having bundled in the equaliser before Iain Davidson's deflected winner, it's now three goals in the last four games for the defender.
"Three in four....that sounds like striker talk," said Irvine with a smile as he revealed the financial fillip that has stemmed from this prolific period. "I've actually got a goal bonus from my father-in-law, but that's just him taking the Mickey out of me because I hardly ever score. For years now, he's put me on £30 a goal. He's a bit gutted this year. I didn't know until Friday that they (St Mirren) hadn't won at home all season. When you hear a stat like that, you don't want to be the team that they get their first home victory against. That was in the back of our minds as well. We're just glad we did the right things to prevent that."
St Mirren's players must be hoping they can start doing the right things to make some much needed home improvements.
ONE MINUTE PUNDIT
39' Kenny McLean strides forward and lashes a fine strike in to the bottom corner from 20 yards. 1-0
53' Gary Irvine bundles in Stewart's pass from close range as St Mirren appeal for offside. 1-1
68' Iain Davidson's deflected effort loops into the net. 1-2
74' John McGinn sends a free header over the bar.
79' Yoann Arquin topples in the box but is shown a second yellow card for diving.
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