This morning I lost my specs. Not ideal when you’re getting ready to host the Scottish football podcast and can’t read the producer’s instructions.

I hunted high and low for them, while trying not to wake anyone else in the house. It was 5.30am after all.

In the course of my search I found £1.60 down the side of an armchair. As I pocketed the coins, I thought, ‘That’s a bit like St Mirren’s season.’

You lose four games on the spin then find a way to win away to Aberdeen. Or you lose four in a row then find yourselves on a four-match unbeaten run.

You just never know what’s going to turn up. Unfortunately you can’t find consistency down the side of the sofa.

It’s been an erratic season, full of highs: European football, beating Rangers, and winning away to Aberdeen and Hibs, and lows: Three court cases and three players leaving the club, missing a heap of penalty kicks, being on the end of some ‘controversial’ refereeing decisions and losing at home to St Johnstone, Motherwell, Dundee and Dundee United (twice).

On one hand you could say if the penalties had been scored and a few decisions had been more benign, St Mirren would be comfortably in the top six.

On the other you could say, if the Buddies could find a way to break down obdurate defences at home and convert more chances they’d be much further up the table.

But, like my glasses, a wee bit of creativity has been missing in those games.

On paper Monday night’s Scottish Cup tie against in-form Hearts looks a tough one, but maybe the rejuvenated Jambos with their attack-minded style will suit St Mirren, who with the pace of Toyosi Olusanya seem to thrive on the counter. We’ll see. You kind of have to expect the unexpected with St Mirren this season.

So I’m predicting a winner from the penalty spot after a ‘soft’ award and subsequent VAR recommended on-field review. Stranger things have happened this season.

PS. Yes, I eventually found my specs.