Saints boss Gordon Strachan couldn't help but see the funny side of the incident that saw Michael Svensson red-carded at the Reebok Stadium.

Having endured 85 minutes of mind-numbing tedium on the touchline, the Scot had what he described as a "dour Dundee derby" brightened up by some outrageous overacting by Bolton frontman Mario Jardel.

As the players jockeyed for position at the back post, awaiting a Saints free-kick from the left, Jardel staked his claim for an Equity card by falling to the ground like a sack of spuds.

On the advice of the ref's assistant, Svens-son was given his second yellow of the afternoon for raising his hands to the Bra-zilian.

Having seen the incident played back, Strachan couldn't help but ridicule Jardel at the post-match press conference.

He said: "You've got to see the incident again to believe it. It's not even a shove.

"He (Jardel) is a big guy and, at 15 stone, to fall like that...!

"If it had been my grandson, who's only two and a half stone, he wouldn't have fallen like that because he's got more in him. He's a determined wee fella.

"I don't know how you face people after doing that. What happens? You go and speak to your mates and when they say: 'What did you contribute to the game?' you say: 'Well, I fell. I fell like a big Jessie!'

"It's embarrassing."

That said, Strachan had no argument with Svensson's dismissal.

He said: "I'll not defend him. As soon as you put your hands on somebody nowadays it's a yellow card. We're not arguing about that, we're arguing about respect between players."

Strachan, who conducted the press conference with all the panache of a stand-up comedian, added: "I thought the game was dour, boring and scrappy but, no matter what happens in life, you can always get a laugh somewhere.

"It's not hilarious for Michael, but it was when you saw it.

"That memory will keep me going for the next five-and-a-half hours on the journey home."