Ross County defender Brian McLean reckons poor officiating cost the Staggies a point after falling to a 2-1 defeat at St Mirren yesterday.
The match was rescheduled after the original game on November 2 had been postponed because of a waterlogged pitch with St Mirren leading 2-0.
However, there was to be no reprieve for County as Steven Thompson and Conor Newton were on target for the Paisley club.
Steven Saunders pulled one back before being sent off for two bookings after Ivan Sproule had been shown a straight red card by referee Willie Collum for a bad foul on Marc McAusland.
There was controversy late in the game when St Mirren’s Jim Goodwin appeared to clearly handle the ball in the box, but no spot-kick was given.
McLean said: “We definitely felt it was a handball. The assistant was on that side of the pitch as well so it was a bit frustrating.
“We analyse our performances week in, week out and hopefully the officials can do the same.
“We had two men sent off and it was backs against the wall stuff, we were looking for a break and a bit of luck in the opposition box, but it was not to be.
“Jim’s hand was there (on the ball) albeit it was on Willie Collum’s blind side, the assistant referee had to help him out as well.
“It is very hard to take, the officials have got to help each other out.
“We just need to move on from it and focus on next weekend now.”
McLean conceded County must improve their defending to move up the table with the Staggies still searching for an away win before this weekend’s trip to Hearts.
He said: “Once we got the goal back to make it 2-1 I felt as if we were in the ascendancy.
“The red cards were disappointing, but they were probably the right decisions and made the challenge that bit harder.”