Last Saturday afternoon there appeared to be a lot of heated debate on the pitch when St Mirren were awarded a penalty-kick for a challenge on Stephen McGinn by St Johnstone defender David Mackay.

At the post-match press conference Mackay branded the Saints midfielder a cheat but St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson has no doubt in his mind about the penalty award.

He said, "Stephen has given his reply, he has stated he never dived.

"There was contact and it was a penalty. It doesn't matter whether it was a soft penalty, a stone-waller or debateable, there was contact there.

"Even Derek McInnes (the St Johnstone manager) said he could understand why the referee awarded the penalty-kick.

"I have no intention of getting caught up in a war of words but I'm sure that the SFA will be looking at the comments made by the St Johnstone player."

This coming Saturday Saints will journney to the north-east coast to face Aberdeen. Gus had a chance to run the rule over the Pittodrie side last night and while he knows his side will face a stern test he believes that they can go there with the confidence of taking something from the game.

He said, "With us playing Aberdeen this Saturday it was good to have the opportunity to have a look at them last night in their game against Falkirk.

"I felt Aberdeen played well mainly over the closing period of the game but we all know the quality of the players that they have. Sometimes you hear a lot of mumping and moaning about the quality of players within our game but Aberdeen are a really good side.

"They have qualified for Europe over the last two or three seasons and they'll also be desperate to make an impact under their new manager Mark McGhee.

"It is Aberdeen's home game on Saturday and expectations will be that they should beat us comfortably so it is up to us to go up there and show that we have had a good start to the season.

"We'll go up to Aberdeen with a lot of confidence and belief, we have a good away record in the SPL so it up to us to impose ourselves on the game."

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