DAVID Hopkin believes one defensive lapse cost Morton a point against promotion-chasers Dundee as they slipped to their first defeat of the season at Dens Park.

Jonathan Afolabi’s fourth-minute volley was all that separated the sides as they contested an enthralling game which saw Robbie Muirhead sent off for dissent.

The Ton boss insists his side deserved to come away with at least a point after seeing them pass up three gilt-edge chances.

He told the Tele: “It was fine margins. We switched off five minutes into to the game, the four defenders let the ball come into the box and then after that we weren’t really troubled.

“I thought we controlled the whole game, I think you saw a team that were organised and wanted to play football.

“I thought the back three and five were outstanding at dealing with set plays considering they had Charlie Adam on them and they dealt with everything that was asked of them.

“Even when we went down to 10 men I don’t think you could tell who was short on numbers.

"We probably should’ve scored through Gary Oliver and Aidan Nesbitt at the end and Markus Fjortoft has had massive opportunities to score from a set play to get us level.

“I thought that we looked the better team, we were fitter, stronger and played the better stuff at times.

“I changed the shape three or four times and we caused Dundee a lot of problems.

“It just shows you where we’re at when we can come to a place like Dens Park with a team of young kids just put together and I’m delighted with the way that we’ve played.

“I think if we’d have scored one we could’ve gone on to get two or three after that.

“I’m devastated that we’ve not come away with anything because we didn’t even deserve a draw, it should’ve been three points.”

The Ton boss feels as if his side's frustrations boiled over when Muirhead was given his marching orders for dissent after getting a foothold back in the game.

Hopkin was critical of the Dens Park backroom staff for pressuring referee Gavin Ross to give Muirhead a second yellow.

But he believes that his side bounced back admirably as they looked to come out on top with 10 men.

He said: “I think our frustrations showed through with Robbie’s red card, but I thought the situation was poor.

“It was a throw-in for us and the linesman’s given it to Dundee - but bottom line Robbie shouldn’t have reacted in the way that he did.

“We had players and coaching staff shouting at the referee to give him a second yellow, which I thought was really poor.

“I wouldn’t do that to any other club, so I don’t see why they’ve done that to our player. It’s made the referee make a decision.

“But even after he got sent off I thought we continued to get better.”