Lewis points finger over Considine red card
JOE LEWIS suspects Rangers’ complaints about Andy Considine’s tackle on Scott Arfield may have contributed to Bobby Madden’s decision to send off the Aberdeen defender.
Considine was red-carded for an over-the-top challenge on the Rangers substitute on 86 minutes, leaving the Dons 10 men to continue the fruitless search for an equaliser.
The foul was committed close to the dugouts and Aberdeen goalkeeper Lewis said: ‘If his studs were up, then I can see why that’s happened but I was a long way away.
‘Andy is not a malicious guy. There’s no crowd and when their players and bench start shouting, maybe it slightly emphasises it a bit as well.’
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes conceded that the studs-up nature of Considine’s lunge makes it difficult to contest the sanction.
‘You normally receive a lot of red cards in the first couple of games of the season,’ said McInnes. ‘Is that a red card 10 or 15 games into the season? Who knows?
‘Andy has raised his studs, so you are always running the risk. I don’t think he has hurt the boy. I don’t think we really can have too much complaint given that Andy raised his studs.’
McInnes was pleased to note Aberdeen improving as the contest went on in the first competitive outing since top scorer Sam Cosgrove was ruled out for three months with a knee injury.
He handed 19-year-old Leeds United loan signing Ryan Edmondson half an hour of second-half action as Bruce Anderson’s replacement.
‘It is up to us to find ways to work with what we’ve got and Bruce is certainly someone we believe in,’ added McInnes.
‘However, he found himself isolated out there. I thought that Edmondson annoyed their centre-backs a lot more with his running power and his physical size. He helped us get up the pitch a bit more.
‘We wanted someone who has been training and in and about a first team. To get a club willing to give up youngsters after a prolonged season is difficult.
‘Obviously, Ryan is a bit behind, but he is probably further ahead of where Sam was when he first came in.
‘He does score goals at his own level, is highly thought of at Leeds and he will be signing a new contract there. We’re delighted to get him.’