St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin believes referees have become too quick to give free-kicks against strikers in the penalty box.

The Irishman was speaking after Curtis Main was penalised against Dundee United, causing Eamonn Brophy's subsequent volley to be chalked off.

The match finished goalless and Goodwin felt it was the wrong decision from referee Colin Steven.

He said: "There was a bit of grappling at the back stick with Curtis and the United defender but I'm not convinced it was a foul.

"We have to remember that it's a contact sport at the end of the day. I'm not so sure you would get a penalty the other way. It's too easy nowadays to chalk goals off and that's another we've had disallowed.

"I think there's too many occasions when defenders get let off the hook awfully easy now. You see them going down under the slightest touch, falling down and getting a foul too easily.

"For me that goal should have stood. It's those fine margins we keep talking about."

United's best chance fell to Marc McNulty, who shot past the post midway through the second period.

But his manager Tam Courts backed the Scotland player to bounce back from the setback.

He said: "That's the life and times of a number nine striker. He is a guy of high quality, I'm sure he's had and missed chances like that before and if he was running through on goal one-on-one next week that's the guy I would want to do that.

"This is a guy of international pedigree, he is a quality striker.

"Our problem historically was actually creating the chances so to come off and see four or five really good goalscoring chances gives me a lot of hope moving forward to next week's derby game.

"We're frustrated to actually go home with only a point but I've got to commend the players for their attitude, application, drive in the game and also being resolute at key times as well.

"I think we could have had a breakthrough today if we actually scored the three or four goals our play was entitled to.

"But unfortunately we've had to take a point, it's a clean sheet and we move forward."