Peaso made a scoring start to the 2008–09 league season when he cracked home the opening goal in the 2–0 win over Livingston but overall the opening months of the season were disappointing for him as he struggled to get a regular place in the starting line-up. Fit again, and as the only player who has remained at the club since relegation seven years ago, he was looking to make an impact at SPL level but it was mid-December before he made a starting appearance in a 1–0 win over St. Mirren. MacDonald became the first player to score a hat-trick in the 2009–10 Scottish Premier League season by scoring three goals against Motherwell on 26 December 2009; MacDonald scored a "perfect" hat-trick of goals, scoring a goal with each foot and his head. He was injured in the act of scoring a goal at Rugby Park in February and his season was over.