Kilmarnock Win Against Dons Following Michael Devlin Sending Off

It was a masterclass on how not to ref a game, but Craig Thomson repaid Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke big time following his criticism of the referee in their match last week against Hearts when Gary Dicker was red carded.

Michael Devlin was sent off in the 5th minute for pulling back Eamonn Brophy, in a very debatable straight red from Thomson.

Kilmarnock’s opening goal arrived just before half-time from a free-kick after Graeme Shinnie had fouled Greg Stewart, who scored in the second half.

McInnes felt Stephen O’Donnell had handled the ball in the move which led to the set-piece and was visibly frustrated Craig Thomson did not agree with him.

Derek McInnes said: “We are disappointed with some of the decisions. It is tough when you go down to 10 men so early on.

“Rightly or wrongly, whether he has deemed it as the last man, it is debatable to say the least.

“We conceded a very good goal from their point of view in terms of the quality of the free-kick. But the build-up to the goal, we feel really aggrieved by.

“It is different if my player plays the ball against O’Donnell and it has hit his arm. But it is actually his bad control which meant he took it on his arm. The momentum pushed it forward into his path.

“That should have been deemed a handball. And my first thought was that Shinnie won the ball when Craig Thomson blew for the free-kick.”

This was Killie’s first victory over Aberdeen in 22 games, a sequence which stretches back to December 2012.