Stephen Robinson has voiced his support for the referee’s decision not to send off Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland in the final moments of St Mirren’s 2-1 loss to the Light Blues in Paisley.

With St Mirren trailing late in the game, Robinson made a last-ditch effort to salvage a point by sending striker Toyosi Olusanya onto the field. Shortly after Olusanya’s entry, the 26-year-old collided with Butland as the goalkeeper rushed out of his box to clear the ball, resulting in Olusanya hitting the ground.

To the surprise of Butland and his team, referee Nick Walsh awarded St Mirren a free-kick just outside the box and issued Butland a yellow card. Robinson, the Buddies’ manager, expressed his agreement with the referee’s call, stating that he believed Butland had no malicious intent in the incident with Olusanya. Robinson remarked, “I think he came out to play the ball. If there is contact, I think it is accidental. I haven’t seen it back, but he came out with no malice whatsoever. He was excellent – he made a crucial save that influenced the outcome. But, no, I don’t think it warranted a red card.”

Nonetheless, Robinson acknowledged his frustration at repeatedly receiving praise but failing to secure points against his Old Firm rivals. St Mirren has faced the top two teams seven times this season, losing every encounter by a combined score of 18-2 in favor of the Glasgow giants. Despite his team’s commendable performances, Robinson expressed weariness at leaving matches with only words of appreciation.

Reflecting on another defeat following Jack Bolton’s own goal and Cyriel Dessers’ late header, Robinson said, “Frustrated. Ultimately, I’ve had a lot of ‘well-dones’ this season from top-class managers. Philippe Clement was very complimentary about how good we are, and Brendan Rodgers said the same a couple of weeks ago. But ultimately, we’ve come out with no points from both games. We created enough chances today to win the game, not just draw it. Their keeper made some fantastic saves. The two goals were very preventable.”

Robinson pointed out errors in communication and defending that led to the goals, emphasizing the need for better coordination among his players. Despite the setbacks, he remains proud of his team’s efforts but is eager to turn performances into tangible results.

The defeat was a tough one to swallow, and we must strive for more. We can’t settle for anything less than our best. Simply receiving praise won’t earn us points, unfortunately.

Robinson often found it challenging to keep his emotions in check on the sidelines, admitting, “I’m frustrated for the entire 96 minutes. I always believe we should aim to beat teams like Rangers and Celtic every single time. It might sound unrealistic, but that’s the standard we set for ourselves. If you approach it any other way, maybe football isn’t for you.”

The loss was particularly heartbreaking for Saints’ defender Alex Gogic, who had a flawless 90-minute performance, highlighted by a remarkable goal-line clearance to deny a goal from Tom Lawrence. Robinson emphasized the resilience, skill, and spirit of the team, stating, “It reflects the character, talent, and strength of our squad. I expect nothing less.”

“We have a fantastic group of players, sometimes too friendly, but I want more from them. I demand more because I see the potential for many of them to reach higher levels and for the club to maintain its place in the top six. To achieve that, we must hold each other accountable,” Robinson added.