Boss Jim Goodwin insists Aberdeen suffered injury time heartache at Ross County due to a “catalogue of errors”.
The Dons were on course for three points in Dingwall until conceding with the last kick-of the game to draw 1-1.
It was a hammer blow for the Reds who were closing in on a third successive Premiership win for the first time since December 2021.
The pain of conceding five minutes into injury time made the draw feel like a defeat, said Goodwin.
Despite the setback of the late leveller Aberdeen still leap-frogged Hearts to move up to third in the Premiership table on goal difference.
Goodwin was gutted not to see out a win that would have opened up a larger advantage on Hearts and close the gap on second placed Rangers.
Aberdeen host Rangers, who were crushed 4-0 by Celtic, at Pittodrie on Saturday.
Goodwin said: “It was a catalogue of errors in the goal we conceded.
“Kelle (Roos) made a great save seconds before the goal from the header.
“Then one of our boys misses his clearance which is unfortunate.
“Jayden Richardson is in a good position but his foot slipped as he was about to push off to make the clearance.
“ I don’t mind conceding goals when teams cut you open or it goes in the top corner from 30 yards.
“But goals like that are hard to take. It was scruffy and avoidable.
“When they score so late it feels like a defeat.
“We got a point but we should have had another two and opened up a gap on Hearts.
“And we should have been closing the gap on Rangers above us as well.”
An ‘out of this world’ goal by Duk
Aberdeen were cheered on by a 2,174 strong travelling support in Dingwall.
The Red Army were treated to a sublime goal from substitute Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes.
Summer signing Duk, secured from Portuguese giants Benfica, flicked up a Jonny Hayes low cross inside the box.
The 22-year-old Cape Verde international then fired in an audacious bicycle kick from 10 yards out.
It was a sensational goal and should have been enough to bag three points.
Goodwin praised Duk not just for the “out of this world” strike but also the build-up play.
He said: “It was a brilliant goal from Duk and people will talk about the finish.
“The finish is out of this world but the build-up play pleased me most.
“With the link-up play at the beginning of the move Duk takes it on the halfway line, feeds it wide then bursts a gut to get into the middle.
“When you score so late you do think ‘we have done enough here’.
“I felt the way the second half was going it looked like a goal would be decisive.”
‘I was thinking it was job done’
Ultimately Duk’s contender for goal of the season would not prove decisive.
Ross County’s Jack Baldwin delivered a corner into the box five minutes into time added on and chaos ensued.
Keeper Kelle Roos blocked a shot from Ben Purrington.
Aberdeen failed to clear the loose ball and William Akio punished by shooting home with a dramatic last kick of the game.
Goodwin said: “We played well in the first half and controlled the game for large spells although we were hit on the break a couple of times.
“We were very good but we didn’t pepper the keeper’s goal enough.
“That would be the only criticism of the first 45 minutes.
“The second half was a a little bit scrappy and became a dogfight.
“You know what you will get with County, they are quite direct team with long balls to to Jordan White.
“We were coping with that.
“I was thinking it was job done and to lose a goal in the last 30 seconds of added time makes it tougher to take.”
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