Angry Warnock critical of role played by VAR in Dons’ defeat to St Mirren

Neil Warnock was heavily critical of the role played by VAR in Aberdeen's 2-1 defeat to St Mirren.

The Dons were leading through con nor barron' s first minute strike when they conceded a penalty in injury time as Nicky Devlin was adjudged to have fouled Toyosi Olusanya.

The match officials took almost four minutes to arrive at the decision that the incident had taken place inside rather than outside the penalty area, with Warnock claiming his players' muscles had started to seize up after being made to wait for so long.

Mark O'hara converted the penalty before Olusanya claimed the winning goal a minute later. Warnock said: "I'm not sure about the penalty. VAR is a disgrace.

"How can you wait on a freezing afternoon for four or five minutes? The lad (Olusanya) has done well because he knows he has to try to get across. Where can Devlin put his legs?

"He can't put his legs anywhere else. I thought he had given a free-kick to us at first when he gave it. I still think they have to get people who have played the game in VAR.

"I asked him (referee Nick Walsh) if he realised what it's like when you have put that much effort in to be stood around for five minutes.

"My lads had cramp and three or four of them were struggling. One of them, Richard(jensen ), who only came in this morning because we lost Jack (Milne), couldn't move.

"With five minutes to go he said 'I can't move'. And he is marking the lad. you shouldn' t be standing about for five minutes on a bloody freezing afternoon forvar.it' s scandalous ."

Warnock's opposite number Stephen Robinson praised O'hara for stepping up to take the penalty after only being on the field for a short time and having missed two spot-kicks earlier in the season.

The St Mirren manager said: "Mark epitomises the bravery of this squad. He's a confident, diligent boy, who has worked hard to get back.

"I couldn't watch, to be honest, but he showed great composure and we showed great belief to come back and win the game. We had the live feed so we knew it was a penalty. It was more about them checking back through the phases. But we were confident."