Sheer shock at red miss

Nov 6 2007

SAINTS’ midfield dynamo Paul Sheerin looked on in disbelief as Dundee Defender Gary McKenzie was allowed to stay on the field after blocking his netbound shot in the box with his arm.

Sheerin dispatched the resultant spot-kick with clinical accuracy but Perth promotion hopes were dealt a savage blow by two second-half Dundee goals.

The McDiarmid men were left ruing missed chances and the loss of a Dens derby they should have had wrapped up in the first half.

Sheerin said: “We battered Dundee at the start but got a dose of our own medicine in the second-half.

“When chances fall to you, you’ve got to take them.

“Kenny Deuchar and Andy Jackson have scored a barrowload recently but today they maybe only got one half-chance between them.

“The opportunities we had fell to others and maybe the defenders and midfielders need to take on a bit more responsibility.

“We needed to weather the storm after we had dominated the first half and really should have been strong enough to hold on for a point at least.”

The midfielder was left stunned as referee Iain Brines only showed McKenzie a yellow card for launching himself to block his netbound shot with his hand.

The former Rangers defender was lucky not have been sent for an early bath but Sheerin conceded that the Perth side should have had the game wrapped up in the first half anyway.

He said: “I’m not having a pop at the referee but I do find it strange he only booked the boy.

“Iain Brines said Sammy was behind him, but I thought the ball was going in and he’s stopped a goal.”

“He handled the ball and prevented a goal so you would think that would be a red card.

"But we're not going to complain about it too much because we had more than enough opportunities to win the game."

Disappointed Saints boss Owen Coyle added: “We should have had things wrapped up in the first half.

“We created so many chances but didn't take them and in the end that cost us.

“It's bitterly disappointing to leave with nothing.”