AYR United manager Ian McCall branded referee Greg Aitken and his linesmen “crazy” after poor decisions cost his team all three points in Paisley writes Stephen Bark.

The Honest Men were 1-0 up against St Mirren thanks to a Paul Cairney goal after the United midfielder had conceded a penalty that was missed by Lawrence Shankland. Jamie Adams was harshly sent off with 13 minutes to go before John Sutton equalised from a controversial corner.

The Ayr boss was left fuming after Sutton’s goal when a corner shouldn’t have been given and Paddy Boyle was taken out in the box to leave the Buddies frontman with a free header.

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McCall went to speak to the Ayr fans after the final whistle and got on the wrong side of the partisan home crowd at the same time.

He said: “First of all, it’s nothing to do with St Mirren or their supporters or their manager. They’re fine.

“I went over to our fans to find out about that corner and it’s clearly a goal kick. It was just clearly a goal kick.

“Then, to add to that, Paddy Boyle’s brought down 10 yards in front of the linesman before their goal. I just thought they were very poor decisions.”

“It just makes you angry.”

United goal scorer Cairney leapt to the defence of teammate Jamie Adams, saying the referee also got his sending off wrong.

He told Sportscene: “I don’t think it’s a sending off. I think it’s a shocking decision from the ref. That’s what we’re up against really but I don’t think it’s a red card.

“Last year that was a professional foul and this year, for some reason, it’s a sending off.

“As players, we’ve been told no difference off the refs and our view is it’s yellow card and it changes the game.”

The result saw Ayr drop into the relegation play-off spot in the Championship, level on 17 points with Dumbarton and Dunfermline Athletic but behind on goal difference. The Honest Men are now six points clear of basement boys St Mirren in 10th.

McCall has a history of calling out referees for poor performances.

He added: “I try not picking faults with refs anymore, I’ve been doing it that long, but it was just such a clear by kick to us and such a clear foul on Boyle in the lead up to their goal. It was just crazy but it’s cost us two points and it’s cost those players their bonus.

“I think a draw was probably fair. We had two or three really great chances but they missed a penalty obviously. I was very proud of the effort they put in.”