Kearney slams ref
Saints boss Oran Kearney blasted referee Kevin Clancy as he bemoaned the whistler’s call not to send off Ziggy Gordon.
The ref coined flak from all corners of the St Mirren support after refusing to dismiss the Accies defender, despite him hauling down Simeon Jackson as he raced through on goal.
The Northern Irishman admitted he was perplexed by the official’s decision, saying:“I think Ziggy Gordon should have been sent off. I thought we were on the front foot in the second half and that was our big moment.
“I was pretty much celebrating. If you’re inside the penalty box, it’s a yellow card and a penalty because there are no double whammies any more. But it’s a cynical challenge outside the box. That’s the rules of the game.
“That’s the most black and white decision of the day.
“You talk about momentum. We were right on the front foot in a crucial part of the game.
“If they had gone down to 10 men, that would have given us a great chance of kicking on. The ref’s decision was baffling.”
But the Saints gaffer conceded that a combination of slack defending and sublime crossing proved his team’s downfall.
He added:“It’s frustrating. In the last five games, we’ve worked tremendously hard on set pieces and we’ve been shutting teams out.
“James Keatings sent in two quality crosses and delivered a cracking finish.
“You would have to say he was the difference.”