Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes admitted he could not fault his players after the Reds were beaten 1-0 by Hamilton Accies in last night’s Premiership game.
Hamilton captain Mikey Devlin scored the game’s only goal in the ninth minute when he volleyed home a Danny Redmond free kick.
It was very harsh on the Dons, who dominated the 90 minutes and chalked up 21 corners, while Accies failed to register one.
The Dons could have moved 12 points clear of rivals Rangers with a victory but were unable to find a way past Martin Canning’s Accies, who finished the match with 10 men following Darian MacKinnon’s late red card.
It was a second 1-0 reverse for Aberdeen at New Douglas Park having suffered a similar fate in October. McInnes’ Reds had won 10 of their previous 11 matches and the Aberdeen manager refused to be overly downbeat after last night’s loss.
He said: “There is no joy when you lose a game but you can still be proud of your team and admire some of the quality shown. We were here to win and we were disappointed we didn’t win. We work so hard every day to try to win games and we didn’t manage to do that.
“There is a real feeling of disappointment from that but the level of performance pleased me.”
The defeat came at a cost for the Dons, who are set to be without at least three key players for this Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final against Partick Thistle at Pittodrie. Midfielder Jonny Hayes missed the game with a hamstring injury, while Mark Reynolds and Ryan Jack both picked up knocks.
McInnes said: “Mark Reynolds has been struggling with a wee bit of a groin problem and we think it might have developed into a hernia. He will be out for four weeks.
“Ryan Jack’s one was down to the (artificial) surface. It’s quite high up on the ankle and that’s a worry as well. So, it has been a sore night. We have lost the game and got a couple of injuries that are going to keep people out. We’re hopeful Jonny Hayes won’t be long, although he will probably miss Sunday.”
Dons tumble, Pages 54, 55