Goodwin calls foul over decision that cost them top six
St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin blamed referee Don Robertson for costing his team a place in the top six.
Goodwin reckons Joe Shaughnessy’s challenge on David Moyo in the final minute of the match was never a foul.
From the resultant free kick, Kyle Munro headed a precious equaliser for Hamilton Accies, cancelling out Jamie McGrath’s first-half penalty.
And with St Johnstone scoring late on to defeat Ross County, it is Perth’s Saints and not the Paisley version who sneak into the top half of the table after the split by just two goals.
Goodwin admitted his team had missed chances to put the game to bed before the equaliser and that his players ought to have defended the set-play a lot better.
But, as a former centre-half, the Irishman felt it was never a free kick in a million years. And his argument with the referee after the end of the game ended up costing him a red card.
Goodwin said: “I got booked for disagreeing with the initial foul and then sent off at the end because I disagreed with the decision.
“There was no bad language or anything. It was purely just a case of I think the referee has cost us today.
“I think he’s cost us a top six place and far too many times we find ourselves sitting here talking about the standard of refereeing.
“It’s disappointing because I don’t like talking about officials and people will be listening to me thinking that it’s sour grapes on my part.
“It’s not. At the end of the day, in my opinion having played centrehalf myself that is not a free-kick.
“We knew we had to come here to win. I knew St Johnstone would beat Ross County. So we had to win the game.
“I always felt we needed the second goal. I knew that Hamilton would throw bodies in the box the later the game went on. Having missed out in the top six by two goals is quite incredible.”
Saints looked on course to get the win they needed after moving in front after 33 minutes.
Lee Erwin played in Ilkay Durmus at the back post. And as the Turk prepared to shoot, Scott Martin whipped the legs away from him.
Ref Robertson felt that merited a penalty and McGrath coolly converted to put the visitors in front with his 11th goal of the season.
Saints had been the dominant side by that point but failed to greatly trouble Ryan Fulton in the home goal.
Erwin sent a volley well wide, Richard Tait also saw his shot drift off target, before Jon Obika saw his effort on the turn snuffed out by Scott Martin.
Accies had been even more shot shy with Jak Alnwick in the Saints’ goal not tested all. A Hakeem Odoffin header that went well wide was the closest the home side came to scoring.
Brian Rice threw on David Moyo at half-time and it nearly paid off right away when the striker met Scott McMann’s cross but headed wide.
Saints could have put the game to bed in the second half but Obika missed two golden chances. His first was well saved by Fulton, but the striker ought to have done better with the second than send it into the goalkeeper’s arms.
That nearly came back to haunt the visitors immediately had Bruce Anderson’s shot at the other end then crept under the crossbar.
But Accies did grab an equaliser in the 89th minute. McMann sent over a brilliantly weighted free kick from the left and Munro climbed highest to sicken Saints with a bullet header.