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Scottish Premiership: St Mirren boss Gary Teale hit out at the officials after they lost 2-1 to Dundee

Image: Yoann Arquin: Was unlucky to be sent off, according to Gary Teale

St Mirren manager Gary Teale was very unhappy with the officials after the Buddies suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Dundee, having led 1-0.

Teale was adamant that Gary Irvine’s 53rd-minute equaliser for Dundee should have been ruled out and also questioned the decision to show Yoann Arquin a second yellow card for diving late in the game.

"The first goal was offside," said Teale. "I've seen the pictures back again and how they can keep getting these decisions wrong beggars belief."

Arquin was red-carded last week at Ross County but it was reduced to a yellow on appeal and Teale wondered if that was a factor in his dismissal.

"Again, I've seen it and I don't want to sound like a broken record, but James McPake stood on his foot, it was obviously enough to put him off balance, and he went down," Teale said.

"I'm not sitting here saying it was pre-empted, but I thought his other booking was very soft as well.

"Is that because we had the red card rescinded last week? I don't know. It's a very cynical view to take but, when you're looking back on it again, you can understand my frustrations.

"You can't appeal it because it was two yellows, you just need to take it on the chin, but decisions have cost us in a lot of games.

"I don't want to hide behind the fact that we could have defended the two goals better and, if we had taken the opportunities that we had, then maybe we wouldn't be sitting here talking about it."

St Mirren had the chances to have been well clear by half-time and Teale added: “We would have liked to have been with the opportunities that we had.

"We could have shown a wee bit more composure and put them away but, for one reason or another, we didn't manage to do it.

"The pleasing thing is that we are creating these chances. We've created numerous chances in the game the other night and the game today, but we've got to try and start converting them, and try to stop them at the other end."

Teale's mood was lifted by the news that one of his best performers on the day, Stevie Mallan, had signed a three-year contract extension following the match.

And, regarding possible additions to his squad in the transfer window, he said: “You're restricted in terms of what you can do financially.

“Ideally you'd obviously like to bring in a few players, but realistically we'll probably only be able to bring in one.

"I'll have to do as much homework as I can, try to do as much due diligence on the players that I've looked at, and hopefully make the right addition to try and boost what I've already got here."

Dundee manager Paul Hartley admitted that his side were somewhat fortunate to have won the match, although he was pleased with his side’s attitude.

"I said to the guys in there that we'll take a win," he said.

"A win is a win sometimes. You don't always play well, but they showed what they're all about."

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