We lost this game in four crazy minutes, says McInnes

IT will take a couple of days for Aberdeen to come to terms with the simple fact that they lost this game. Fathoming exactly how it all came crashing down around their feet may take a little longer.

As the clock struck 79 minutes, the only real concern in the home ranks seemed to be finding a way to goal and eking out a victory that would not have been unjustified. Defeat was simply not on their minds.

Within four minutes, however, they had been torn asunder, hopes of cementing second place by the second Sunday in April undone by kamikaze defending and a collective brain freeze.

‘There was no real indication of that,’ lamented manager Derek McInnes. ‘I thought we were the better team throughout.

‘I thought we were in complete charge of the game, their goalkeeper made a couple of saves, one in particular from Adam Rooney.

‘While you’re contemplating changes around 70 minutes, I felt there was no real need. We were in total charge of the game and in control of it. In a lot of games where teams sit in against us, we’ve found a way to get a late winner and it felt a wee bit similar to that and we were playing out in that manner.

‘But the need to concentrate against good players should be there for 90 minutes. We lost a very poor goal, which can happen, but it was the response to losing the first goal I was more disappointed with.

‘There was still plenty of time in the game, we were still the dominant team and we’ve allowed a crazy four or five minutes to ultimately lose us the game.

‘When you give someone of the quality of Kenny Miller a half chance as we did, and it was an accomplished finish, you expect to be punished. We’re disappointed with the first goal but I am more disappointed with the reaction after it, to be honest. We have enough experience.’

As spectacular as the Dons have been at times this season, they’ve also excelled at winning when not quite at their best.

Yesterday might well have been another of those occasions but Miller’s display proved a timely reminder of the need to take chances.

‘We don’t lose many goals, especially here at Pittodrie, and we don’t normally go behind,’ said McInnes (below).

‘It’s important that the players should have dealt with that better. It’s something we have spoken about. Hopefully, it helps us with the challenges ahead.’

Despite the reverse, there is no time for self-pity. A trip to St Johnstone represents a testing final game before the split, but McInnes feels the story of his side’s season to date should imbue them with a confidence that they can yet see off the challenge of the Ibrox side to finish best of the rest.

‘I think it’s important that we still carry that confidence,’ added McInnes. ‘I’ve got confidence in the players and I thought for the majority of the game we looked like the better team.

‘Rangers still carry that threat on the counter-attack, but they were making changes to try to find a foothold in the game. I thought we were in charge of the game and I didn’t really have a reason to make changes.

‘The way the game was playing out was like a lot of home games here where we’ve found a way to win.

‘But today we played our own part in our downfall and we gifted Rangers the three points. Ultimately, Rangers got the result they wanted and we didn’t.’ Had referee Kevin Clancy deemed Joe Garner’s challenge on Joe Lewis worthy of a second booking, Aberdeen might well have achieved the result that would have put the matter to bed. McInnes, though, had no issue with the way the referee handled a predictably feisty encounter.

‘I think the referee dealt with the game very well,’ he said. ‘It’s up to others to decide whether Garner needed to make the challenge on Joe Lewis, but I think the referee dealt with it quite well.’