JIM GOODWIN hopes Gary Teale is given the St Mirren manager's job - despite the caretaker boss slumping to a second defeat in a row on Saturday.

A late John Sutton strike earned Motherwell a vital three points at St Mirren Park, although Saints were left smarting by a number of controversial decisions including a red card shown to Steven Thompson and a Kenny McLean "goal" that wasn't awarded.

The result leaves St Mirren rooted to the foot of the table, a point below Ross County and six behind Motherwell in tenth.

Teale admitted afterwards that only positive results will earn him a shot at the job, although the situation is made more complicated by the prospect of the club being taken over by a group of Argentinian businessmen who took in Saturday's game.

Goodwin, who has reverted to a player role having started the season as player-coach, hopes a resolution is found soon and gave his backing to former Scotland winger Teale.

He said: "I'd like the manager's situation sorted out as soon as possible.

"I'm very loyal to Tealey and would like him to get a crack at it. But we need to wait and see what happens with the club itself - there's a consortium buying us, then it's off, then it's on again - so until that gets sorted first I doubt if there'll be any long-term decision on a manager,

"A dressing room's a strange place - the stuff in the boardroom doesn't really get to us, it doesn't really affect is, even if we do want the manager thing sorted out.

"Tealey and Davy Longwell are good lads and they couldn't have done more to get us organised and shape us up, they just need the breaks to go with their hard work. We're six behind Motherwell now, which will be hard to claw back, but I have a lot of confidence that we can do it."

Goodwin felt Motherwell's Mark O'Brien played a part in Thompson being sent off early in the game.

The Irishman added: "I honestly didn't see the challenge at the red card.

"One or two of the boys say it was harsh and there's no doubt the boy's reaction is as if he's been really badly hurt - maybe the referee was swayed by that, because he was adamant when I asked him that Thommo was high and we had to take his word.

"The boy was aggressive in the challenge with Thommo and it was a coming together. To be honest, the boy had been like that from before the red card incident and I always think if you dish it out you have to take it back sometimes as well."