The Scotland defender received his second yellow card of the Bank of Scotland Premier League match for a challenge on Darren Barr in the 72nd minute which did not appear particularly malicious.

Levein said: "I didn't think the referee had a bad game today other than it was a scandalous decision. Lee won the ball. How he could send him off I just have no idea.

"He hasn't made three or four mistakes and I honestly think he has done all right, but he has also made a decision that is completely ridiculous.

"It was a block tackle. He was entitled to go for the ball - and he won the ball.

"It was right in front of the Falkirk crowd, they made a noise and then he reached for his pocket.

"For me, that's just inexperience on his part. I know he is only a young ref but he has got to be able to distance himself from what happens in the stand and look at incidents on their own merits."

Levein had vented his anger at the official from the touchline at the time - and then claimed he had been treated "like a schoolboy" in return.

He said: "They try to make you feel like a schoolboy. He was standing beside me, walked away and then said, 'Come over here'.

"What is that all about? The whole point is to treat each other with respect. That's not respect."

Falkirk wasted little time in opening the scoring when Russell Latapy blocked David McCracken's last-gasp attempt to hook the ball away as Carl Finnigan's shot headed towards the line.

Although Finnigan's attempt was close to the goalline when McCracken intervened, Latapy appeared to get the decisive touch.

"They can give it to whoever they want - we got the three points, that's all that matters," said Hughes.

Alan Gow marked his final home game in a Falkirk shirt with a smartly-taken second goal six minutes into the second half as the Bairns made sure of finishing in seventh place.

Hughes said: "I can't fault my boys - they deserve to be in seventh spot and have been fantastic for me all year."