“In River’s stadium they screwed us, today they screwed us … they want us to be relegated,” San Martín midfielder Marcos Gelabert raged at full time. Alfonso Parot’s solitary goal was enough to give Rosario Central victory in the Gigante de Arroyito but referee Nicolás Lamolina not awarding the visitors a first half penalty for what was a clear handball provided the game’s major talking point.

After a run of eight matches without victory, Friday’s home win over Estudiantes had given Central a lift and only four days later El Canalla were looking for back-to-back three points.

That extra confidence saw Edgardo Bauza’s start much better against San Martín and Fernando Zampedri and Marco Ruben had both gone close in the early stages.

However, it was San Martín left feeling hard done by when Oscar Cabezas clearly blocked Claudio Mosca’s goal bound shot with an outstretched arm. Lamolina’s decision not to point to the spot hard to justify given how clear the infraction was.

The visitors were only left to feel more aggrieved when Central broke the deadlock on the hour mark. Scrambling back to stop Fernando Zampedri the danger looked to have passed as San Martín’s defenders hacked the ball clear but full-back Alfonso Parot picked up the loose ball and smashed it from outside the box past goalkeeper Luis Ardente.

San Martín pushed forward in search of an equaliser but couldn’t find a way past Jeremías Ledesma and in defeat are only kept out of the relegation zone by Belgrano.