Aberdeen pushed the self-destruct button in spectacular fashion in Paisley as the 10-men Dons slumped to a third straight Premiership defeat at St Mirren.
It is clear confidence is in short supply as the winless run extended to eight games for Stephen Glass’ men.
The Dons boss will be pleased to see the back of a pointless September but the degree of difficulty in October is set to increase and it spells trouble for Aberdeen unless they can find a solution to the defensive fragility in the side.
All eyes were on the return of Ryan Hedges but he was powerless to prevent his side from falling to another defeat.
If you are the team in need of a win then Aberdeen are the team you want to face as St Mirren followed St Johnstone’s lead of last week in recording their first league win of the campaign at the Dons expense.
In what has become a common theme the defending was not good enough here with the goalkeeper and his central defenders failing to stem the Saints tide while Teddy Jenks blew his chance to impress as his dismissal left his side with 10 men for the final 39 minutes.
Jenks’ departure did not help but it should be noted St Mirren needed just the first 10 minutes after he left the field to turn a losing position into a winning one.
It was particularly tough on right back Calvin Ramsay who gave his all to try to help his side win the game, setting up both goals while providing the best attacking option in his forays forward.
He deserved better than for it all to be in vain.
Having started the game comfortably Aberdeen conspired to gift the home side the lead as Joe Lewis’ poor clearance went straight to Alan Power.
The midfielder found teammate Ethan Erhahon who played a terrific through ball to send Connor Ronan clear and his shot deflected off David Bates past Lewis to give Saints a 14th minute lead.
Aberdeen failing to keep a clean sheet is nothing new but the response was emphatic from the visitors with right back Ramsay playing a pivotal role.
It was his 18th minute delivery from a free kick into the six yard box which found Christian Ramirez who stooped to head the ball goalwards only to see it bounce off Scott Brown’s heel and into the net for the Dons captain’s first goal for the club.
There may have been an element of good fortune about the equaliser but Aberdeen’s second goal was excellence of execution from all concerned.
Ramsay’s delivery again was dangerous and Brown’s clever positioning nullified former Ross County defender Marcus Fraser to give Ramirez time and space to beat Jak Alnwick in the Saints goal with a terrific header.
It was a fantastic worked goal from start to finish and one which had clearly been devised and practiced at Cormack Park before being carried out to perfection when it mattered.
Aberdeen had chances to extend their lead before the interval with Ramsay showing the confidence he had by getting in on the act with a shot inside the box which was blocked.
The visitors’ hopes of carrying on where they left off after the break suffered a setback, however, as they were reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Jenks.
The midfielder was booked in the first half for a foul on Fraser and he earned a second yellow for a foul on Jamie McGrath. Both challenges were needless and he could have no complaints.
The Buddies needed seven minutes to make their extra man count as McGrath turned away from Brown before playing in Ronan.
The striker’s first touch created the space he needed to get his shot away and his finish was equally impressive as he guided the ball low past Lewis into the corner of the net.
It went from bad to worse for the Dons and goalkeeper Lewis was culpable again.
Fraser played a lofted ball into the box which substitute Curtis Main, having nonchalantly brushed Bates aside, rose to challenge his former Dons team-mate for in the air. Main connected with nothing but fresh air as too did Main as the ball continued on its path into the back of the net.
It was a galling goal to lose with the Dons goalkeeper’s feeble attempt after coming for the ball leaving his side firmly up against it.
Ramsay, in keeping with what had gone before, offered Aberdeen’s best chance of getting a draw when he cut in from the right wing before firing in a powerful drive which whistled past the post.
But that was as close as the Dons came to rescuing a point from this one. The damage had been done and it was the home side who looked more likely to score the sixth goal of the game than the visitors.
In the end, the three they did score was enough.