James McPake accuses officials of “guessing” at crucial decision as Dundee go down to St Johnstone

James McPake believes part of the blame for Dundee’s Scottish Cup is down to officials simply guessing after his side had a goal ruled out for offside in the 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone.

Dundee manager James McPake was unhappy with officials as his side were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by St Johnstone (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

The Perth side won a Scottish Cup tie at Dens Park for the first-ever time. Guy Melamed’s first-half goal was the decisive strike but Dundee skipper Charlie Adam saw his penalty brilliantly saved by Zander Clark with 15 minutes left. Callum Davidson remains on course for a double cup success in his maiden season as manager.

The home side also had a goal controversially ruled out after referee Craig Napier first seemed to blow for a foul against Clark before then chalking it off for offside on the advice of his far side assistant, Jonathan Bell. McPake was booked for comments made to the fourth official and while he accepted this caution, he was still furious after the final whistle.

“In my opinion we scored a perfectly good goal,” he said. “We missed a penalty – it was a good save from Zander, Charlie was unlucky.

“At a time when you’re on top it is really crucial you get a goal and in my opinion we got a perfectly good goal which was chopped off. If it is an honest mistake I can accept, but what I can’t accept is people guessing.

“There are people in there late on in their careers wanting a cup run, there are young coaches on our bench and on Callum’s bench, so it shouldn’t be down to people guessing. You have to be 100 per cent right. Listen, it might show he is right but from seeing it in real time it’s a guess.

“I will watch it back but I don’t think I will change my views,” he added. “I have before but I don’t think I will this time. I am proud of my players, the way they handled going behind against a team who have won a cup and going for a European place. I have been asked all week is it about seeing where you are at, well no, it was about progressing in the cup and we are bitterly disappointed we are not.”

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