Aberdeen’s new manager could face a tough battle to haul the club out of the bottom six this season.
The Dons blew the chance against St Johnstone to move back into the top half – where a club of their budget and stature must be.
That they failed to take the chance at home against the side rock bottom of the Premiership is another concern.
Particularly when they have relied on the home form so much this season.
With just two wins in 14 on the road this season eighth placed Aberdeen must make Pittodrie count.
They couldn’t.
Aberdeen target Jim Goodwin
Aberdeen have had an approach to talk to St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin rejected.
The Buddies are understood to want a compensation package of around £250,000 agreed before giving the go-ahead for any dialogue.
Goodwin tops the wish-list and it is understood compensation will not be a deal breaker for Aberdeen.
What is clear is that whoever replaces the axed Stephen Glass faces a major job to turn around the ailing fortunes this season.
Stepping up from the U18’s Barry Robson headed an interim managerial team.
The interim team also consisted of Neil Simpson, Scott Anderson and Scott Brown.
No league wins since Boxing Day
There was a positive performance in the second half and the Dons should have won with the amount of clear chances created.
However they didn’t and although Robson steadied the ship by ending a run of three straight losses, points were still dropped.
Aberdeen have not won in the league since Boxing Day.
Different managerial team, five changes in personnel, but the same outcome – more costly dropped points.
It could have been worse because trailing at half-time the Dons were facing a damaging loss to the team bottom of the league.
Nine points ahead of relegation zone
That would really have set alarm bells ringing and raised fears of a relegation battle.
With just three points from 18 in 2022, that remains a very real fear.
Aberdeen are just nine points off Dundee, who occupy the relegation play-off zone.
The Dens Park club also have a game in hand.
Short in confidence, the hope is that there will be a new manager bounce to revitalise the Reds in the remaining games this season.
They need it. As there has been little on show in 2022 to indicate they can move out of the bottom six wilderness.
Impressive first start from Barron
There were positives against Saints.
Teenager Connor Barron was handed his first start and produced an impressive performance.
The 19-year-old has a confidence, quality and calmness that should see him get more starts this season under the new manager.
Interim head coach Robson made five changes to the starting XI that crashed out of the Scottish Cup at Motherwell.
After a few below par games, Calvin Ramsay returned to produce his previous high levels.
Jack MacKenzie also came back in at left-back.
Winger Matty Kennedy also made his first start of the season having been sidelined for eight months with a double stress fracture in his back.
Keeper Joe Lewis returned having missed the last three games, all losses, through illness.
Ross McCrorie, who limped off in the loss at Fir Park at the weekend, missed out.
Dutch winger Vicente Besuijen dropped to the bench for the first time since arriving from ADO Den Haag in January.
Also dropping to the bench were Gary Woods, Adam Montgomery and Funso Ojo.
Nightmare start for Aberdeen
There was a nightmare start for the interim coaching team when St Johnstone grabbed an early lead.
In the sixth minute, Glenn Middleton burst past Jonny Hayes and fired in a low drive that was blocked, but spilled, by keeper Joe Lewis.
The ball fell to Ali Crawford, but his shot hit Lewis.
Callum Hendry, on loan at Aberdeen for the second half of last season, pounced to shoot home from six yards.
Aberdeen responded rapidly and a minute later, Ramsay’s cross from the right flank found Hayes racing in at the back post.
However his six hard header was saved.
The woodwork denied the Reds when Scott Brown’s vicious 25-yard drive clipped the cross-bar.
Aberdeen kept pushing and Hayes’ directed a half-volley on the turn at goal, but Clark tipped the 12-yard drive over.
Again the Reds threatened when teenager Barron’s curling 22-yard effort flashed inches wide.
In diving for the shot, keeper Clark, who had been injured earlier in the game, went down again and had to be substituted.
Aberdeen suffer double injury blow
Scotland international centre-back Declan Gallagher was replaced at half-time due to injury, with Besuijen coming on.
Starved of service for much of the game, Christian Ramirez had a shot in the 56th minute, but it was comfortably saved by Parish.
The Reds suffered another injury set-back in the 65th minute when captain Brown limped off injured, to be replaced by Funso Ojo.
Ferguson clinical with penalties
Aberdeen were awarded a penalty when Ramsay was bundled over by Callum Booth after breaking into the penalty area in the 71st minute.
Ferguson has never missed a penalty for Aberdeen – and calmly slotted home right-footed for his 11th goal of the season.
Aberdeen have now converted 23 straight penalties in all competitions.
The Reds had a goal disallowed soon after when Jonny Hayes’ shot was saved.
Substitute Besuijen pounced on to the loose ball and fired home, but the goal was ruled out as Ramirez had straight offside.
Two minutes into injury time Ramsay delivered a dangerous cross into the box to find Ferguson who headed just wide.
In the final minute of extra time again Ramsay found Ferguson with a cross.
Ferguson headed down to Ramirez but his powerful header from an acute angle at the back post was saved by Parish.
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Lewis 6, MacKenzie 4 (Montgomery 52), Bates 6, Gallagher 4 (Besuijen 46), Ramsay 6, Brown 6 (Ojo 65), Barron 7, Hayes 7, Ferguson 6, Kennedy 6 (Emmanuel-Thomas 73), Ramirez 6.
Subs: Woods, McGeouch, McLennan, Jenks, Ruth.
ST JOHNSTONE (3-4-1-2): Clark 5 (Parish 41), McCart 6, Gordon 6, Cleary 6, Booth 6 (Gallagher 73), Butterfield 6, Halberg 6(Craig 73), Brown 6, Crawford 6, Middleton 6, Hendry 6 (May 61).
Subs: Mahon, Sang, Gilmour, Bair, Hector-Ingram.
Referee: Gavin Duncan
Man-of-the-match: Connor Barron
Attendance: 12,973