The hope is the imminent introduction of VAR to the Scottish Premiership will eradicate wrong decisions such as Liam Scales’ sending off.
However that will be scant consolation for Aberdeen who suffered a game-changing wrong penalty call and dismissal in the 3-1 loss at Hibs.
Scales received a second yellow and Hibs were awarded a penalty, which they converted, following an incident between Scales and Ryan Porteous.
Referee David Dickinson adjudged it to be a foul by Scales on Porteous. It wasn’t.
Surely VAR, which will be introduced in the Premiership later this season, would have rescinded the yellow and overturned the spot-kick.
The game-changing incident happened when Porteous grabbed Scales’ shirt just inside the box in a bid to get in front of the on-loan Celtic defender.
Then Porteous put his arm around the centre-back in a headlock and dragged him to the ground.
The penalty was converted. From 1-0 up suddenly Aberdeen were level and a man down.
After that it was an uphill struggle and the Dons succumbed to a 3-1 defeat.
Scales’ dismissal will have repercussions beyond that 45 minutes at Easter Road where the Dons were a man down.
Scales suspended for next match
The centre-back will now be suspended for the next match, at home to Kilmarnock after the international break.
Midfielder Ross McCrorie will likely replace Scales at centre-back in the next game against Killie.
That is a blow because McCrorie’s aggression, control and influence were missing in the second half when he moved to centre-back at Easter Road.
McCrorie is a strong centre-back. But having to move into defence has repercussions that ripple into midfield.
Aberdeen’s only centre-back option on the bench in Edinburgh was highly rated teen Jack Milne.
He could be an option for the next game but the likelihood is it will be McCrorie moving back to defence.
A disastrous 90 second period for Scales saw the game turn full circle.
When Scales was booked for fouling Josh Campbell with moments remaining in the first half there was little to suggest the carnage that was to come.
Just 90 seconds later he picked up a second yellow, and red, for what the referee deemed a foul in the box.
It had all began so brightly with Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes scoring within four minutes of his first start for the Dons.
The introduction of Duk was the only change to the starting line-up that drew 1-1 at Ross County.
Duk replaced on loan Liverpool midfielder Leighton Clarkson who served the first of a two game ban.
Duk makes an immediate impact
Summer signing Duk had been pushing hard for a start by making a positive impact off the bench.
He had netted in back-to-back games prior to the trip to Edinburgh.
It was time for Duk to show what he could do from the start.
He did but was only given 45 minutes due to Scales’ dismissal.
A minute’s applause was held prior to kick off following the passing of the Queen.
Aberdeen went ahead after just four minutes when left-back Hayden Coulson delivered a cross to Duk who was racing in at the edge of the box.
Duk met the cross and unleashed a 15 yard glancing header brilliantly directed to the far corner.
It sailed beyond helpless keeper David Marshall and into goal.
In the 27th minute Joe Newell’s free-kick from 25 yards was straight at Kelle Roos who easily saved.
Then in the 38th minute Youan raced at goal before unleashing a vicious 30-yard drive.
Keeper Roos did well to tip the powerful effort over his bar for a corner.
Two yellow cards and a penalty
The Reds looked to be going into the break a goal to the good until Scales’ sending off.
He had picked up a booking in the 42nd minute for a foul on Campbell.
Just 90 seconds later he was booked again for what the referee wrongly deemed was a foul on Porteous.
Boyle sent keeper Roos the wrong way to convert the spot kick.
Hibs made the extra man count in the second half.
In the 58th minute Dutch keeper Roos produced a superb double save.
First he blocked a 10 yard shot from Campbell.
Somehow the Dons keeper recovered quickly, got back on his feet, and scrambled across to block Newell’s 12 yard drive.
An inevitable breakthrough came in the 62nd minute when Campbell received a pass from Cadden before sweeping a right footed 15 yard shot beyond Roos.
A third goal for dominant Hibs came in the 73rd minute when the Dons failed to clear a cross from the right into the box by Kukharevych.
The ball fell to Campbell, who prodded home from four yards out.
Aberdeen should have hit back soon after when Jayden Richardson found Bojan Miovski completely unmarked six yards out.
Normally so lethal from that distance, with the goal beckoning, Miovski sliced his effort wide.
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Roos 7; Coulson 4 (MacKenzie 55), Scales 4, Stewart 5, Richardson 5 (Watkins 78); McCrorie 6, Ramadani 5; Hayes 6, ‘Duk’ Lopes 5 (Polvara 45 + 2), Besuijen 6 (Morris (78); Miovski 5
Subs: Lewis, Morris, Duncan, Milne, Kennedy, Ramirez.
HIBS (4-2-3-1): Marshall 6; Cabraja 6, Hanlon 6, Porteous 6, Cadden 7; Kenneh 6 (Doyle-Hayes 60), Newell 7; Youan 6, Campbell 7 (Henderson 85), Boyle 7; Kukharevych 6 (Bojang 85)
Subs: Schofield, Miller, Tavares, Stevenson, McGregor, Fish.
Referee: David Dickinson
Attendance: 17,292
Man-of-the-match: Kelle Roos (Aberdeen)
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