When Ryan Kent scored after only 14 minutes at Ibrox on Saturday, St Mirren would have feared a hammering.
Especially as Columbian striker Alfredo Morelos doubled their lead less than three minutes later.
So after getting out of Govan with just a 3-0 defeat after an early second half goal from Ianis Hagi, Jim Goodwin won’t be too disappointed.
Steven Gerrard’s side haven’t put a foot wrong at home in the league this season and were confirmed as champions yesterday as Celtic drew away against Dundee United.
Which just outlines the task the Buddies faced at the weekend.
Of course, you can look at each goal in isolation, and there are mistakes in there, but sometimes you just come up against a better team on the day.
The opening goal, for example, Ethan Erhahon needs to be stronger with Glen Kamara in a challenge earlier in the move.
Then Ilkay Durmus should retain possession but once Steven Davis finds Kent, he shifts his feet and rifles an unstoppable effort past a helpless Jak Alnwick.
As if that wasn’t a bad enough start for Saints, it was 2-0 soon after.
Morelos was found inside the area and finished from an acute angle straight across Alnwick and into the opposite bottom corner.
Again, a good finish from the striker who took his tally for the season against St Mirren to four.
But Goodwin must be wondering how his team conceded from that area, especially where it goes in.
Goal number three, though, must be one where the manager will do the most work on the training ground for a number of reasons.
Firstly, It’s just after the break. The last thing you say is keep it tight and try and get the next goal.
Seconds later Kent’s running down the wing, his cross should be cut out twice, before Hagi has time at the back post to slam the ball home.
There were, however, two main positives for the Paisley men. Firstly, they remain two points ahead of recent BetFred Cup winners St Johnstone in the race for the top six.
Callum Davidson’s side did manage to beat Jack Ross’ Hibs at home on Saturday, as they made it just two defeats in 11 games, both against either side of the Old Firm.
But for the Buddies players they will much prefer to be in the position in which they find themselves, rather than one of the chasing pack.
And they will fancy themselves to go to Hamilton in two weeks’ time and finish the job, which was laughed at when proposed as a potential objective by chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick at the start of the season.
The only disappointment will be they need to wait just short of a fortnight for the game to come around.
The one other bright moment for Saints is the first team debut of youth prospect Dylan Reid.
At 16 years and five days old the midfielder, who has already caught the eye of some big clubs, played the dying embers of Saturday’s loss but showed he could be the part of the next crop to come out of the much renowned Ralston youth system.
