Thursday Feb 14 2008 08:16
Dundee United manager Craig Levein refused to condemn the match officials despite claiming his side were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by an offside goal.
Levein claimed St Mirren striker Craig Dargo was offside when he helped the ball on for Andy Dorman to score the only goal of the game on Wednesday night.
The build-up to the fifth round replay had been shrouded in controversy when St Mirren objected to the appointment of referee Alan Freeland.
However, it was the Terrors who - according to Levein - had cause for complaint at full-time.
"I don't think we were at our best and I still think we did enough to at least get into extra-time, but the game has been decided on a mistake by an official, which is pretty ironic," he reflected.
"It wasn't the referee after all of the pressure that was on him, but you just wonder if additional pressure in that room has maybe had an affect on them.
"It is a clear offside and it is a disappointment to have lost the game in that way.
"I thought the referee was okay and I am not in the habit of criticising officials as I have done all of that in the past.
"I don't do it any more, but people will bring it up because it was one of the talking points before the game.
"It was an offside goal, but these things happen in football."
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