MICHAEL Doyle has lifted the lid on the bizarre justification referee Steven McLean gave him after awarding St Mirren a penalty for a foul made two yards outside the box on Saturday.

Doyle slipped on the edge of the area before hauling down Lewis Morgan and the whistler pointed to the spot to the defender’s dismay.

But it was his reasoning that had Doyle even more baffled as he explained that he gave the spot-kick because Morgan had ‘fallen into the box’ on his way down.

Doyle exclusively told the Tele: “I tried to point out to the referee at the time that the foul was at least two yards outside the box when I made it. 

“But he made a weird statement in reply. He said that the boy Morgan ‘fell into the box’ which I really didn’t understand. It was a strange one and I said that to him but he didn’t seem to want to know.

“It was really strange to hear him make that statement. 

“You can see where I’ve slipped and when you slip your first, natural reaction is to reach out to grab something.

“I had no disputes that it was a foul but I was shocked that he gave a penalty.

“Does that mean that if you’re a yard outside the box and you jump into it that it’s a penalty? I don’t know.”

McLean made several controversial calls in the derby, including booking Gavin Reilly for diving when there looked to be clear contact from Thomas O’Ware that left the striker with a cut on his knee.

Ton boss Jim Duffy admitted at full-time that he was convinced it was another Saints penalty before McLean pointed the other way but Doyle reckons that too was outside the box regardless of which way the decision went.

And the 26-year-old believes Ton could have had another penalty of their own when young Scott Tiffoney was bundled over in the area at the other end.

He said: “If it was a foul on Gavin Reilly by Thomas O’Ware then it was also outside the box. Tam has made a decision to try and win the ball. 

“The referee didn’t give it and there were a couple of times where we should’ve had another penalty with a foul on Tiff [Scott Tiffoney] who was pulled back.

“The penalty we did get was a penalty because the referee has warned the defender twice. Then it’s the third time he’s done it and it’s a definite penalty. 

“You could say it was soft for Scottish football but he’s been warned twice.”

Doyle planted a smacker on team-mate Andy Murdoch’s cheek after the midfielder netted the first equaliser to bail out his pal. 

The right-back explained: “I spend every day with my team-mates, Andy and I have a laugh every day and he’s a great wee player. And when he scored I don’t think there was a happier man inside the stadium than me.

“I had made the mistake and you don’t want to be the player who lets them down. 

“So for him to score it cancelled out the penalty and I was delighted. And you could see that when I gave him a kiss!”