Ton and Saints shared a goalless draw in the first league meeting between the local rivals in 15 years, despite the fact the visitors played out the final 36 minutes with 10 men.

Winger Barr admitted the overwhelming feeling in the home dressing room was that it was an opportunity missed.

But the 27-year-old also insisted Jim Duffy’s men have taken confidence from their performance against a club that had only recently been relegated from the top flight.

He told the Tele: “I thought we did well during the game and thought we were really unlucky not to win.

“We had the better chances in the game and played well overall, so we’re just disappointed not to get the three points because I thought we were the better team and deserved to win.

“At half-time we were happy with the way we were playing but thought we could even have been in the lead then.

“And after they went down to 10 men in the second half, the game got stop-startish and that suited them.

“We couldn’t really get going. There were niggly fouls in the middle of the park — they were breaking the play up and getting everybody behind the ball, which you’re going to do in that situation.

“So we were frustrated after the match because we still created enough chances to win the game in that second half. “Unfortunately, we just couldn’t take them. Don’t get me wrong, [Jamie] Langfield was excellent — but we had enough chances to win the game.

“Our first three matches were always going to be tough and although we’re disappointed not to get that win, we’ve picked up a couple of decent results.

“We’ve looked competitive and we’ve not been out of a game, so we just try and take the positives even though you are frustrated at not winning.” Barr was the man sent tumbling by the Luke Conlan tackle that earned the Saints defender a red card.

And when asked for his verdict on the decision, the former Brechin City man admitted that he thought the incident only merited a booking.

However, he also felt the decision was evened out by referee Greg Aitken’s failure to punish Jim Goodwin and Steven Thompson for serious fouls on Stefan McCluskey and Derek Gaston.

He explained: “I nicked the ball in front of him and tried to jump out the way. It was definitely a foul and maybe a booking but seeing the highlights back I think the decision was a bit harsh.

“I didn’t think it was a red, but there was nothing I could really do.

“It was the ref who made the quick decision and if he took a wee bit of time to think he might not have sent him off.

“And maybe it evens itself out: Goodwin’s done Stef in the middle of the park with his elbow and how Stefan end up with a booking …?

“I couldn’t believe it when the ref gave a foul against Stef and booked him – Goodwin just flew into him with an elbow and obviously if he sends him off they’re down to nine men.

“It’s obviously the referee who makes the decisions, and the way he interpreted it, he didn’t see anything in it.

“It was the same with the linesman. I went over and asked him, and he said he didn’t think anything of it either. That’s just the way they saw it.

“Then [there was] Thompson’s challenge on big Gats for him to go off injured. He’s not even looking at the ball and just studded him thigh high. So they maybe got away with two there.” The match was Barr’s first taste of the Renfrewshire rivalry and he said it was an occasion that left him wanting more.

He added: “I enjoyed it. It was a derby, a good atmosphere — to get nearly 6,000 at Cappielow was great — and decent with it being shown live on the telly as well.

“I was obviously disappointed not to play the week before at Easter Road. When the gaffer read out the team [on Friday] and I was playing, I just wanted to go and do well and stay in the team.

“Obviously I’m going to have to play well to stay in the team, and I was up for it and enjoyed it, and like anything when you’re enjoying it you play better.

“I was happy with the way I played and hopefully I’ll stay in the team for the cup game at Queen of the South tomorrow night.”