Derek McInnes has hit out at Don Robertson after his side lost out to two penalties at Ibrox today.
Nikola Katic twice went down theatrically to present James Tavernier with the opportunities to keep the race for the SPFL title alive for a further week.
Defeat killed off any hope Aberdeen had of finishing second for the fifth season running with the difference between finishing second and third in the table worth around £400,000.
Derek McInnes speaking after #RangersFC 2-0 #AberdeenFC
“Both penalties are very harsh. The second penalty kick, words fail me how that can be given. It’s a terrible decision and has a huge impact on the final result. It kills the game and it’s really disappointing.” pic.twitter.com/kBuED84ihg
— PLZ Soccer (@PLZSoccer) April 28, 2019
“I’m bitterly disappointed after our players put so much into the game,” McInnes told the Daily Record.
“When you come to Glasgow to take on the Old Firm you need a lot of things to go your way, including key decisions, and we never got that today.
“In terms of injuries having an impact of how we want to play and maybe asking the question a bit more, but certainly the biggest influence was the referee. The second one is nothing short of embarrassing how that can be given as a penalty kick and my player getting sent off.
“The referee should deal with it better and see it for what it is, the Rangers player should hang his head in shame the way he went down. There’s absolutely no contact for me having seen it again and I think he’s the one who should have been dealt with for trying to buy a penalty kick and unfortunately for us the referee has bought it.”
Andrew Considine picked up a second yellow card at the second penalty and will automatically miss Saturday’s match against Celtic.
In the opening stages of the match Jermain Defoe raced his hands to Joe Lewis’ face as the keeper controlled a through ball but no card was issued despite the award of a foul and the keeper requiring treatment.
Later on in the first half Defoe was booked for deliberate handball.
Two years ago Robertson awarded Ross County an incredible penalty when Alex Schalk dived despite being almost a yard away from Erik Sviatchenko. Robertson has since joined the elite FIFA list.
Welcome to Scottish Football twitter, where this isn’t even a foul. pic.twitter.com/UmI8knPKdD
— James Doleman (@jamesdoleman) April 28, 2019
