Kenwyne's dismay
saintsfc.co.ukKenwyne Jones admitted he was surprised West Brom finished with 11 men as they held Saints to a 1-1 draw.
The Trinidad and Tobago striker twice ran clean through on goal only to be denied by clear red card offences.
First he was brought down from behind by Curtis Davies who was only booked even though he was the last defender and it was a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Referee Mike Pike has not dismissed anyone all season but he should have shown red to goalkeeper Dean Kiely who clearly handled well outside his area to keep out a goalbound shot from Jones on the run.
Kiely admitted: "Conditions were a bit slippery and I came out not intending to handle but the ball struck my arm. The referee used his commons sense!"
In fact, the Cumbria official indicated the ball struck the keeper's chest even though he clearly stretched out an arm.
Jones was privately seething but picked his words carefully afterwards, adopting a forced philosophical approach.
He said: "I thought Dean Kiely's handball was black and white but neither the referee nor the linesman saw it.
"I had two chances to score and unfortunately neither of them happened. That's what the officials are there for but they did not send either player off so we just had to get on with it.
"I was hoping both would be goalscoring opportunities. The first was very early in the game which would have given us an advantage but it was not to be. Decisions like that have been happening to us a lot this season."
Jones did get on the scoresheet when he knocked home his 12th goal of the season from a Grzegorz Rasiak pull-back.
But former Saints striker Kevin Phillips levelled just before half-time from a possible offside position.
It was a blow to Saints who had the better of the match and although disappointed with the outcome, Jones remains hugely optimistic about the run-in.
He added: "A few people have said we would have settled for a draw beforehand but we came here to win it!
"We came without any fear. We have played everyone in this league and we know what they can do and we know we are good enough to go up automatically.
"That is our aim and we can achieve it. We were very disappointed not to win this game but who knows the effect it will have?
"It could be the point which takes us to automatic promotion or it could cost, we won't know until the end of the season.
"But we have no fear of anyone - it is do or die now in these next few weeks and we are going all-out for automatic promotion.
"That is the mind-set of the team. We know we have a realistic chance of going up and we will come out for every game focused on that aim."
