ACTING Saints coach Jamahl Lolesi felt the decision to send Kyle Amor off for a high tackle on Liam Marshall was the wrong one and that cost the team and short-changed the spectators.

Amor saw red 12 minutes in despite his first impact being on the ball before riding up to the head of the Wigan wing.

It left Saints up against it for 68 minutes but they nevertheless made a valiant fist of it before losing 29-18.

Lolesi said: “I couldn’t have asked for any more from them.

“They really fought hard for the club today and not only that, for each other.

“It was pleasing to see that effort.

“We could have done a few things better defensively, but when you are playing with 12 men against the champions at their place it makes it pretty hard.”

When asked his thoughts on Kyle Amor’s 12th minute red card for the high tackle on Liam Marshall, Lolesi replied: “It was not a red card.

“Ben Thaler did not lose us the game, he did not miss a tackle. But the video ref is there to make a call for foul play.

“When you are an official take the emotion out of it, take the crowd out of it and make the right decision, especially in a derby game.

“I just can’t understand why you just don’t do that. What is most important is making the right decision.

“Today it was the wrong one – he did not use the video ref and I thought it was poor.

“We had to fight hard from then on and were on the back foot and then we did not get lots of other calls throughout the game.

“We got penalised for a flop in the first five minutes and then got flopped on for the next 15 minutes.

“I do not think the officiating was great and it affected what was going to be a great game.

“I feel sorry for the fans who paid out to watch a 13 v 13 Saints v Wigan derby and they got short-changed as well as us.”

One of the major plus points was the debut of Welsh youngster Regan Grace who showed pace and offered a threat every time he went near the ball.

“Regan was fantastic- he is credit to our junior system, Derek Traynor found him playing rugby union and he has transitioned well.

“I was pleased for that and he gave the fans something to cheer about.”