AN Easter Sunday ceremonial assumed an atmosphere of frenetic excitement and raucous protest in Paisley yesterday as a guard of honour for St Mirren was followed by the match officials wandering into the frontline and shooting themselves in the foot.

Celtic duly honoured St Mirren's win in the Scottish Communities League Cup final by clapping their hosts on to the pitch before taking an early lead in what was evidently scripted to be a victory procession. However, St Mirren's admirable comeback will be lost amid the flak aimed at the referee and his assistants, who made at least three significant errors and contributed heavily to a match pock-marked by controversy.

St Mirren's refusal to buckle was matched by the ability of Bobby Madden and his two assistants to be at the centre of the action. On three major incidents this was not to their credit. St Mirren will reflect on a penalty kick not given, while the sending-off of Victor Wanyama was extraordinarily harsh. The penalty, too, that gave St Mirren their equaliser was wrong with Emilio Izaguirre's challenge followed by Esmael Goncalves going down as easily as a Russian's stake in a Cypriot bank. It was also outside the box.

Madden, though, was on safer ground when disallowing a St Mirren goal in the first half when Paul Dummett backed into Fraser Forster, although St Mirren claimed their defender had been initially fouled by Izaguirre. His call to allow the game to proceed after a collision in the penalty box between Wanyama and Goncalves was entirely rational.

However, it was the other decisions that will surely be rued by the officials as much as they were condemned from the stands. Madden should have been helped by assistant Andrew McWilliam on the stroke of half-time when Georgios Samaras moved an arm to make contact with a Gary Teale cross. He was, perhaps, wrongly advised by his other assistant, Stuart Stevenson, when Goncalves fell outside the box under no contact from Izaguirre with 10 minutes to go and Paul McGowan equalised the early header by Kris Commons, who was taken off with an ankle injury before half-time.

Between these questionable decisions, Madden instantly showed a red card to Wanyama in the 55th minute when the Kenyan kicked McGowan. This was presumably deemed reckless but the Celtic player seemed to be trying to pull out of a mistimed tackle.

Amid this feckless officiating, a football match of some substance broke out in front of watching Charles Green. The Rangers chief executive had been invited to the match as a guest of Stewart Gilmour, the St Mirren chairman, and witnessed a contest of some quality.

Commons, Celtic's best player in a febrile first half, opened the scoring with an adept header after St Mirren failed to clear a corner and it seemed the champions were preparing to march towards another victory en route to the inevitable Clydesdale Bank Premier League title.

Finding space in front of the St Mirren back four, the Scotland internationalist was a constant irritant to Danny Lennon's side but could offer nothing tangible in addition to his goal. His most creative moments came in partnership with Gary Hooper, but the Englishman was careless in front of goal, twice firing over when in good positions. Commons, though, ended the half on a stretcher as he was injured in an inadvertent clash with Biram Kayal and this followed a period in which St Mirren had passed their way back into the match.

Teale, voted man of the match, was in fine form on the right side of the St Mirren front line and his crosses deserved a better fate than to be cleared by a retreating Efe Ambrose or to be glanced past the post by the industrious Steven Thompson.

The big moments for St Mirren were nullified firstly by a whistle and then by a lack of one. Dummet was bumped by Izaguirre and barged Forster, allowing a Teale cross to kiss the post and fall into the net. Madden blew for a foul.

The collective protest then was nothing as to the howl that greeted the decision not to penalise a handball in the box by Samaras on the stroke of half-time. Teale's cross dropped over Ambrose and the Celtic captain lifted an arm into the path of the ball.

The worst decision of the match was still to come, however. Goncalves dived outside the box when Izaguirre hung out a leg and Madden, after some hesitation, pointed to the spot. McGowan, who was splendidly vibrant throughout the match, smashed the ball straight down the middle.

It was no less than St Mirren deserved in the flow of the match as the League Cup winners played with spirit and no little technique in addressing Celtic's early lead and the powerful performances of Wanyama, Joe Ledley and Commons in midfield.

However, this was a match that will be remembered for the quality of the officiating rather than the ability of the players. Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, described the collective display of Madden and Co as appalling. This verdict did not invite dissent in Paisley last night.