St Mirren 0 - 0 Dunfermline: Saints in need of a miracle

If this was 'Last Chance Saloon' for St Mirren then the team who less than four years ago were enjoying Hampden glory are down to the dregs at the bottom of the glass as it will now take an even bigger miracle than their League Cup win, and far better performances than this one, to completely stave off relegation.

Adam Eckersley saw a powerful volley pushed over

This late into the season any game between two strugglers is never going to be an aesthetic thing of beauty and this was no different as these two underachievers by and large showed why they are where they are.

Saints’ left-back Adam Eckersley saw a powerful volley pushed over the bar by the fingertips of visiting keeper Sean Murdoch who then dealt well with a Lewis Morgan attempt. Dunfermline’s menace grew as the first half wore on with Nicky Clark’s downward header bouncing up and clipping the woodwork.

The Fifers came out the blocks faster after the break as Michael Moffat drilled inches over with a crisply struck rising drive.

With time and indeed games slowly running out the onus was very much on the home team to go for broke and for the win they desperately needed to stay in the hunt for automatic safety. As such, you could feel – and indeed hear – the near palpable frustration inside the stadium as first Morgan choked his shot into the arms of Murdoch when he should have scored and then the keeper saved well from substitute Rory Loy.

This need for a goal was leaving gaps at the back and Dunfermline very nearly stole it on the counter, but Michael Paton dallied too long and the chance was gone leaving a stalemate and the Buddies dangling by a frayed thread.