David McCracken was left frustrated by the deadly combination of missed chances and dodgy defending that cost St Johnstone a place in the last eight of the Scottish Cup.
The 31-year-old central defender did not try to conceal the frailties which allowed St Mirren their two goals but also insisted his side needed to show more of a killer instinct in the opposition’s box.
McCracken said: “Missing chances has been the story of our season and it has cost us our place in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. Teams have to take their chances when they are on top and it can be frustrating to see good chances missed.
“St Mirren have managed their two goals in a bad 10-minute spell where our defending has been shocking. We would have loved a good cup run and it is an opportunity wasted but we must now look to finish in the top six.”
Fuming St Johnstone boss Steve Lomas also pondered over what might have been if his team had converted their chances.
He said: “We should have been two up at half-time and then it would have been a different situation. Craig Samson has made a couple of wonder saves, the first of which he knew little about, but he is paid to make saves.
“You have to take your chances when they arrive or it hurts you. Our ratio must be something like five chances for one goal. Had we scored four or five goals there would have been no complaints but then again St Mirren could have scored four.
“Not taking our chances has been our achilles heel all season although I thought we had cured that issue after the Aberdeen game. We would be sitting second in the SPL but for missed chances and we have lost a chance of a good Scottish Cup campaign.”
St Johnstone enjoyed the better of the first half with Patrick Gregg shooting narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
On 36 minutes Rowan Vine’s effort was parried away by Craig Samson before Steven MacLean’s shot on the rebound was brilliantly saved by the keeper.
It was an instinctive effort and the St Mirren keeper then dived to push away Tam Scobbie’s header from a Dave Mackay cross.
Two minutes before the break Gregory Tade went on a mazy run beyond two defenders before laying off for MacLean, who blasted over.
Four minutes after the break St Johnstone were ruing those missed chances when the unmarked Esmael Goncalves headed home from Gary Teale’s perfect cross.
The Perth men responded with Tade’s dangerous cross headed wide by the lively Michael Doughty.
Teale rifled in a 20-yard shot from the right of the box which flew inches past the post of the diving Alan Mannus.
However, the Paisley men did double their lead on 57 minutes when striker Goncalves latched on to Steven Thompson’s flick before turning and shooting low into the bottom corner.
St Johnstone now had a mountain to climb and although they worked hard and created another couple of good chances it was St Mirren’s day.
Lomas added: “I am annoyed for the players and the fans as we had a great crowd down in Paisley and I would have liked to have repaid them.
“Some of our play was good and the players are an honest bunch who give everything but poor finishing has let us down.
“The two goals were also shambolic from a defensive point of view with a free header and lack of discipline.
“We have to concentrate on making the top six and aiming to finish the season as strongly as we can.”
Delighted St Mirren boss Danny Lennon praised his side for three wins in a week, each coming in a different competition.
He said: “It’s a perfect end to a great week as we are still in two cup competitions and we also won in the league in midweek.
“St Johnstone played a lot of dangerous balls into the box but Craig Samson made great saves at key moments.”