Rangers' fury at free-kick call as Aberdeen score late winner

Mark Warburton hit out at referee John Beaton after his contentious decision to award a free-kick led to Aberdeen's winner in their 2-1 victory against Rangers.

The sides had looked set to finish level at Pittodrie after Andy Halliday's penalty had cancelled out the opener from Jonny Hayes.

James Tavernier was both penalised and booked by Beaton when he slid in on Hayes to win possession and James Maddison curled in the winner from 30 yards from the resulting free kick.

Warburton told Sky Sports: "Had we come in at 1-1, we'd have been disappointed. We've dominated from start to finish and I felt in the first half we moved the ball really well.

"We didn't get the rewards but knew what we had to do. In the second half, we gave a sloppy, poor goal away within a minute and for two or three minutes we were a bit wobbly.

"Then we got the ball back again, we moved it and we got our rewards but we'd have been disappointed at 1-1.

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"We're now bitterly disappointed at a decision of that nature. We are convinced - and the fourth official even said - it wasn't a foul. It's an expensive decision.

"I'm frustrated. We are always very respectful of the officials but that's a big decision and the fourth official saw it.

"The ball moved. You've got to be 100 per cent sure to give that decision and we've paid the price. You can imagine what we feel because there were so many positives.

"I don't want to be misquoted again about the positives of losing, we've got lost a game of football, but I think you'll agree we were very good in parts today."

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes was unsympathetic about Rangers' complaints - and applauded the extra edge his team had in front of goal.

He said: "My first thought was it was a foul but I can tell from the reaction that it maybe it wasn't. I thought there were a lot of things in the game that were fouls that we never quite got.

"It was quite in tune with a lot of the decisions but we've managed to take full advantage and produced a bit of quality.

"It was a spectacular finish, a real bit of quality from young James that separated the two teams and I think that should be applauded.

"We knew Rangers would dominate possession for large spells because that's what they are, they're a good side.

"But the game's about scoring goals. Although they got into some good areas and asked questions of us, my goalkeeper's not had a lot to do and we deserved the win."