Kilmarnock manager Mixu Paatelainen refused to defend Frazer Wright for the sending-off that helped consign his team to defeat against Dundee United at Rugby Park.
United were already two goals ahead through David Goodwillie and Jon Daly when Wright received a second booking for dissent in the 82nd minute. Wright went to the bench to try and explain himself to his manager, but was ushered away to the tunnel with little sympathy coming his way and Conor Sammon's 90th-minute goal for Kilmarnock was a mere consolation.
Paatelainen said: "I was very disappointed. He deserved the second yellow card because you can't talk to the referee like that. An experienced player like Frazer should not lose his head in situations like that and it shouldn't have happened at that moment in the game."
He added: "Obviously he will be disciplined by me because what he did damaged the whole team. I wanted to hear from him what he had said, I think he was arguing about a free-kick award. I think it was a shaky performance from the referee, but Frazer was still wrong."
But Paatelainen spared the rest of his players from any criticism as he claimed his side deserved to have won the game on balance of play.
He added: "I thought our overall performance was fantastic. We created a lot of chances, we just couldn't put them away.
"There's no point playing good football and not putting the ball in the net, but it just didn't go for us in front of goal today. On another day it will. The players did exactly what I asked of them against a strong United team. We dominated and had enough chances to have won."
United manager Peter Houston admitted his side had to defend in numbers, but pointed to the scoreline for proof how of hard his players had worked.
He said: "This is a big three points for us. We had to grind out the result and it's obvious we are still missing players like Craig Conway.
"We missed the outlet he gives us on the left, but Kilmarnock are a different side from last season with some good players and they put us under pressure. The team isn't quite there yet, but we have got a huge result and I'm pleased that our front two got the goals, they always give us that threat."
Source: PA
