The pressure is mounting at Balmoor as Peterhead fell to a half-hearted 4-1 defeat at champions Livingston meaning the Aberdeenshire side enters the final week of the season one point adrift at the foot of the table.
As David Hopkin’s men were presented with the League 1 trophy, Blue Toon manager Jim McInally beat a hasty retreat out of a side door, electing not to face the waiting media and instead formulate a game plan to be implemented against Alloa Athletic that will extend the north-east outfit’s stay in the third tier of Scottish football.
Livingston captain Sean Crighton who was the lucky recipient of the trophy after the match but the former Montrose man admitted he was confused why Peterhead were not competing for promotion with Livi rather than resting precariously at the bottom of the table.
Crighton said: “I am really surprised, they were one of the favourites to win the league along with ourselves, Alloa and Airdrie. They have got good players. They have to dust themselves down while we are celebrating and that is the harsh side of football.”
The match certainly started in a sportsmanlike manner, Peterhead forming a guard of honour to welcome Livingston on to the pitch but unfortunately for goalkeeper Fraser Hobday, his generosity carried into the match.
He dropped an easy catch from a Josh Mullin free kick into the path of the predatory Liam Buchanan for his 22nd goal of the season.
Ten minutes later and the lead was doubled as Italian Rafa De Vita got to the byeline before crossing for Scott Pittman to slot home.
The home side grabbed a third before half time when Josh Mullin took advantage of a lucky bounce to burst into the box to clip past Hobday.
Jamie Redman was able to claw a goal back from close range for the visitors after half-time but a spectacular overhead kick from Danny Mullen put the nail in the coffin as Peterhead supporters now face a nerve-shattering week before finding out if the Blue Toon are still a League 1 team.