There were no injury-time heroics this midweek. No pitch invasions or lengthy debates to be had over the number of minutes allotted.
Instead, in truly the most remarkable circumstances, Celtic took a dull one as far as their title ambitions were concerned.
A gap to Rangers which most observers assumed would be routinely cut to four points now stands at six. How quickly the euphoria of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup victory has lifted.
Callum McGregor rues a missed opportunity in Celtic's frustrating 0-0 draw at St Mirren
Celtic created enough chances against a severely depleted St Mirren side but could not score
Playing against a significantly weakened St Mirren side, Celtic fashioned enough chances to get this job done with something to spare. On another night, they would have been home and hosed by half-time.
Profligate and guilty of making countless wrong decisions in the final third, though, the fact they pinned Saints in for almost the entirety of the game counted for little. This most untimely slip-up was entirely of their own making.
It was yet another night when the importance of Kyogo Furuhashi to this side was underscored.
Ange Postecoglou gambled by resting the Japanese after his Hampden heroics. This time, with Liel Abada struggling to find space in the middle, it backfired. For all their dominance, far too many others in the visiting camp failed to sparkle.
By the end of a remarkable one-sided affair, you simply had to tip your hat to St Mirren’s character and doggedness.
So ravaged by Covid were Jim Goodwin’s side that the Paisley faithful would have required to familiarise themselves with many of the match day squad.
Liam Scales missed a chance to break the deadlock in Paisley and was later booked
Yet they produced a truly extraordinary collective effort, refusing to accept the seemingly inevitable from the first whistle to the last of five added on minutes. Goodwin had no one even approaching a failure in his side.
What a chapter this may prove to be in this season. No one outside the Paisley camp gave St Mirren any hope of causing an upset here and little wonder.
Even yesterday morning, this game remained in doubt as Goodwin struggled to piece a teams together.
The absentee list included stalwarts like Alan Power, Jamie McGrath, Ryan Flynn and keeper Jak Alnwick.
The manager was forced to play Dean Lyness in goal, 16-year-old midfielder Dylan Reid, 19-year-old winger Jay Henderson and 17-year-old debutant Kieran Offord. Recalled at short notice from clubs including East Stirlingshire and East Kilbride, no player on the home bench had ever made a first-team appearance.
They ought to have had next to no chance of getting anything from this but what strength they showed in adversity.
With the exception of Stephen Welsh replacing the suspended Carl Starfelt and the injured David Turnbull, Postecoglou’s changes from Hampden were all optional. With Joe Hart rested, Scott Bain played in goal with Cup Final hero
