Brian Howard blasted referee Mike Thorpe after his return to St Mary's ended in defeat.

The former Saints reserve did not blame Thorpe for giving the injury-time penalty that struck his hand.

But he was upset with the decision to award the first penalty, from which Kenwyne Jones gave Saints a 3-2 lead, and to then send off Daniel Nardiello following a clash with Chris Baird shortly afterwards.

Howard said: "We all gave 100 per cent and felt hard done by with two of the decisions.

"We didn't think it was a penalty for the third and crucial goal. I don't know how the linesman who gave it had a good view through seven or eight players.

"No one is sure who he gave it against and, when he blew the whistle, we thought it was a foul for us!

"Nardy getting sent off two minutes later was harsh. It was just a clash with Bairdy.

"I saw their legs tangle and both of them end up on the floor.

"Maybe it was a foul but to pick one out of that and send them off was very harsh.

"Both decisions were a kick in the teeth after we worked so hard to get back in the game because it would have been a massive result for us with the way all the other results went."

For full story see Monday Sport.