Callum Davidson claimed St Johnstone suffered a “horrendous” refereeing decision that cost them dearly against St Mirren.
The Perth side were 1-0 up through a Callum Hendry penalty with just a few minutes left of the first half when David Dickinson penalised Jamie McCart for a challenge in the box, leaving Davidson bewildered.
It proved to be the turning point in the contest.
St Mirren scored from the spot and then got a winner shortly after the break.
Saints, back at the bottom of the league after Dundee beat Hearts, suffered another blow with Cammy MacPherson dislocating his shoulder.
“I was disappointed with the penalty given against us,” said Davidson. “It was a horrendous decision.
“I’ve watched it back numerous times and I’m still to see it.
“Big decisions in games can change it especially when confidence is fragile.
“We can do better when we go a goal up, we can do better when it goes all square and when we lose the second we could have reacted better.
“But I sound like a broken record – huge decisions have cost us so it’s hard to take especially when confidence isn’t high.
“These things have to go for us.
“I told the players I want them to fight and encourage them to play and believe they are good players and to do the right things. For 25 minutes of the second half we didn’t do that.”
Davidson sought an explanation from Dickinson but the one he got didn’t match his view of the penalty incident.
“He said it was a blatant shove to push the player down,” said the McDiarmid Park boss.
“To me the ball was waist height, the player tried to head it and Jamie was behind him.”
On MacPherson’s injury and the absence from the squad of John Mahon, Davidson reported: “Cammy has popped shoulder and will be out for the foreseeable future.
“It didn’t look great.
“John has been ill.”
St Mirren 2-1 St Johnstone: Saints get Premiership reality check as they go back to the bottom
