Aberdeen manager Barry Robson believes his players need to improve their game management after letting their lead slip in a 1-1 draw at St Johnstone.
Bojan Miovski’s penalty after the hour mark put the Dons ahead at McDiarmid Park but David Keltjens’ header secured a point for Saints.
Robson was frustrated at seeing his side fail to take all three points after breaking the deadlock in Perth.
The Dons boss said: “It was disappointing. When you are 1-0 up with 15 minutes to go you are hoping to win the game.
“I said to the players when you go 1-0 up and the opposition is coming at you then you get your distances right and stop crosses.
“If you don’t, you win the header and we didn’t do that well enough.
“They came at us but when you are 1-0 up you have to be more experienced in terms of game management and make sure you win the game.
“You’ve got to use your experience and not get caught up in the emotion of the game.
“Stay calm, in position, communicate well and slow the game down and stay goalside. We could have done that better.”
‘We have to be better in both boxes’
Robson was also disappointed at seeing his side fail to make their possession count in a laboured first half display.
The first half was poor with Aberdeen only managing one shot on target while Saints failed to trouble Kelle Roos.
But a stirring second half showing full of incident could have ended with either side netting a late winner.
Robson said: “We dominated the first half without threatening but we moved the ball well.
“They want to put the ball in behind you and get on top of you. We dominated the first half and Craig Levein has obviously said they need to get after us.
“Ester Sokler had a great chance and they’ve hit the post too. They didn’t have any shots on goal in the first half and we could have done better as well.
“We need to be better in both boxes than we were tonight.”
Dons defender Slobodan Rubizec limped off in the closing stages following a 50-50 challenge with Ryan McGowan and will be assessed on Thursday.
Robson said: “We’ll get Rubi’s knee scanned first thing in the morning so fingers crossed he will be alright.”
The point moves Robson’s side up to seventh place in the Premiership while St Johnstone remain in 10th place.
Delight for Saints boss Levein
Saints boss Levein was full of praise for scorer Keltjens and was relieved his decision to keep the defender on the pitch was rewarded when the netted the equaliser.
Levein said: “It was our intention to take him off after 60 minutes but he was doing so well so we left him on.
“I thought he was excellent. He hasn’t played football for a long time but he is a good age, has played six times for Israel and it was about whether he was capable of performing at the levels we require.
“All credit to him, it was a really good debut and to get the goal was the icing on the cake. We try to encourage both full backs to get in the box and David did well to come in and score the header.
“In general he was really good. He was steady, reliable and tough.”
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