Another blank day for Buddies as boss questions decision
Jim Goodwin felt referee Colin Steven cost St Mirren the chance of their first league win of the season against Dundee United.
The match official chalked off a “goal” from Eamonn Brophy because Curtis Main had been too aggressive in winning the high ball to tee his strike partner up.
Goodwin, unsurprisingly, didn’t agree and felt that referees were being too quick to whistle for innocuous challenges.
The Irishman said: “There was a bit of grappling at the back stick with Curtis and the United defender but I’m not convinced it was a foul.
“We have to remember that it’s a contact sport at the end of the day. I’m not so sure you would get a penalty the other way.
“It’s too easy nowadays to chalk goals off and that’s another we’ve had disallowed.
“I think there’s too many occasions when defenders get let off the hook awfully easy now. You see them going down under the slightest touch, falling down and getting a foul too easily.
“For me that goal should have stood. It’s those fine margins we keep talking about.”
Saints’ season has yet to get properly going but Goodwin wasn’t too disappointed, despite drawing another blank in front of goal.
He added: “My glass has to be half-full after that.
“United were definitely the better team for the last half-hour of the first half but I felt we controlled large periods of the second half.
“I don’t think you’ll get a more entertaining 0-0 draw. It wasn’t boring by any stretch and it could have been 3-3 by the end.”
Both teams had included two debutants in their line-ups, with Matt Millar and Connor Ronan in for Saints and United introducing Ilmari Niskanen and Scott Mcmann.
The home side also handed a first senior start to 16-year-old Dylan Reid, who put in a composed display in the middle of the park, with one thumping but fair challenge on Liam Smith forcing the United man to hobble off.
United had the far better of the chances. A brilliant run from Peter Pawlett created an opening for Marc Mcnulty who was denied by Saints goalkeeper Jak Alnwick.
The ball spun up and looked destined for the back of net only for the alert Joe Shaughnessy to get back to head it over the crossbar.
Pawlett then should have given United the lead. The former Aberdeen man had all the time in the world to pick his spot from 12 yards out but instead blasted his effort high into the stand.
With the visitors knocking on the door, a free-kick from Charlie Mulgrew sailed into Alnwick’s arms.
The home side looked a bit more lively after the break. Jamie Mcgrath had their first real chance of the game with a shot that sailed well wide.
And the Buddies then had the ball in the net around the hour mark, only for Steven to blow and cut short the celebrations.
It was a well-worked move with Scott Tanser crossing for Main, who
headed down to Brophy to smash home a volley.
United heaved a sigh of relief and went back on the front foot. Sub Louis Appere came close with his first real chance after coming on only to see his shot deflected wide.
Mcnulty then missed a glorious chance to give his side the lead. He burst through the middle after springing the offside trap but somehow put his shot wide of goal when it seemed a certainty that he would score.
That could have come back to haunt them but Trevor Carson made a brilliant stop late on to keep out Richard Tait’s effort.