Sunday 21 December 2014 08:41, UK
Inverness manager John Hughes refused to criticise referee Brian Colvin for awarding St Johnstone the penalty that won them the game at McDiarmid Park.
Colvin enraged the visitors by pointing to the spot after Saints striker Brian Graham had fallen theatrically to the ground as he tried to round Inverness 'keeper Dean Brill.
The official also showed Caley Thistle midfielder Ross Draper a straight red card moments after the 62nd-minute winner following a clash with Simon Lappin.
However, Hughes claimed he sympathised with Colvin because of the split-second decisions he was forced to make.
Hughes also insisted he wanted to view footage of the penalty before deciding whether Colvin had erred, but felt his players' protests had told their own story.
He said: "I would need to see the penalty again before I make a call on that. But the boys tell you and all the boys were telling me with their reaction.
"I feel for the referee. I'm not going to point the finger of blame at the referee or anything like that. They're out there and trying to do the best they can.
"We're all in it together, we have to make Scottish football a spectacle and he's got a decision to make in a split second, and that's why they get paid.
"If he got it right then spot on, and if he got it wrong you just need to take it on the chin. Some go for you and some don't, that's the way football is.
"I spoke to the referee and asked him, and he was man enough to answer. He felt it was a penalty, which is fair enough, but we felt it wasn't.”
St Johnstone counterpart Tommy Wright did not want the two controversial incidents to detract from praise for his side's display in taking their impressive unbeaten run to seven matches.
However, whilst admitting Draper could have been shown a yellow card instead of being sent-off, the Saints manager insisted Colvin had been right to award a penalty.
Wright said: "From where I was it looked a penalty. I've seen it on the video and the 'keeper has gone with his legs and Brian's told me there was contact.
"He (Graham) maybe put his arms up in the air, but from where I was I thought the referee was going to give a penalty.
"Other people might have different opinions. But the keeper definitely went with his feet, didn't go with his hands, and I think when you do that he leaves the referee with no alternative sometimes.
"I haven't seen the red card back. My initial reaction was that he led with his forearm. Whether that was him jumping up to protect himself, it happened so quickly.
“I've seen similar incidents be yellow and I've seen them be red, and I don't want to criticise referees for it. I feel they've got such a difficult job.
"I would rather concentrate on the performance. I don't want to be sitting talking about incidents, although people might argue they have an influence on the game.
"Another clean sheet delights me and the overall performance delights me."
