Furious Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has accused Hibs’ Ryan Porteous of “blatant cheating” to win a controversial penalty.
Goodwin has also called for the appointment of full-time referees in the Premiership to avoid costly mistakes.
After his side lost 3-1 at Hibs the Dons gaffer also said VAR cannot come quick enough to eradicate controversial, costly incidents.
In the match-turning incident Goodwin said Porteous “grabs Scales in a headlock and drags him to the ground.”
Scales received a second yellow and Hibs were awarded a penalty, which was converted.
It was the turning point in the game at Easter Road.
The Dons boss insists he warned his team to watch out for those tactics from Porteous in the build-up to the game at Easter Road..
And he revealed he even had a word with referee David Dickinson prior to kick-off to alert the whistler.
However Goodwin reckons the referee was caught “hook, line and sinker.”
Goodwin said: “I don’t know what Liam Scales can do when Ryan Porteous grabs him in a headlock and drags him to the ground.
“I don’t know how many times the boy Porteous can get away with that kind of stuff.
“We’re telling our players in midweek to be careful with him in the box.
“Be careful with him at set-plays and don’t touch him as he will go over.
“I actually had a laugh and a joke with the referee prior to the game to make him aware of it.
“Unfortunately just before half-time he was sucked in hook, line and sinker. Bought it.
“And it ends up playing 45 minutes with a man less. Obviously it’s hard enough 11 vs 11.
“We showed our players a number of instances when Porteous has won penalties like that in the past.
“People will say he’s good at it and he’s clever.
“But it’s blatant cheating as far as I’m concerned and it’s cost my team points.
“And I’m going to now have to go without Liam Scales again too, a big important player.
“It’s extremely disappointing, even more so for our supporters who paid a lot of money to travel down from Aberdeen to watch a game and be entertained.
“The second half was just impossible.”
Goodwin wants full-time referees
Aberdeen were a goal up before the controversial incident courtesy of a superb header from Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes after just four minutes.
However it all turned near the end of the first half. Scales had been booked in the 42nd minute for a foul on Josh Campbell.
Then just 90 seconds later he was yellow carded again and the ref awarded a spot kick.
VAR is set to be introduced in the Premiership later this season.
Goodwin also wants the the money to be sourced to finance full-time whistlers.
He said: “The referee thought it was a penalty. What can you say? Roll on VAR I suppose.
“We’ve spoken about VAR being brought in to assist referees because of the big mistakes that were made last season.
“It is absolutely a relief (VAR is set to be introduced) and it will be a relief to all the other managers out there that are in the same boat.
“We are all frustrated when the decisions go against us.
‘What we want is a level of consistency and we want those big decisions to be right more often than not.
“Having VAR in will give us a better chance of that percentage going up.
“Those points we have lost today could be invaluable come the end of the season.
“I can’t fault the players’ commitment, but it is a lot easier to play against 10 men.
“The game was ruined by that decision.
“And then there has to be an argument for full-time referees as well.
“We must be one of the only top leagues in Europe that is still kicking around with part-time referees.
“Let’s look at finding the money to make it a full-time job and then they can sit down like we do as professionals and really analyse the game, good, bad and ugly.
“As I don’t know when they get the opportunity to really do that.”
‘He celebrates winning penalty kicks’
Scales is now suspended for Aberdeen’s next game, at home to Kilmarnock after the international break.
Hibs netted two goals in the second half through Campbell to take the win.
Goodwin says he made his feelings clear to Porteous after full-time.
He said: “I told him to his face after the game what I thought of him.
“I don’t care what he reads in the paper on Sunday and Monday.
“He knows. He’s laughing about it.
“He celebrates winning penalty-kicks like he’s scored a goal.
“Listen, he’s a good player. He got his international recognition last week, but I just don’t know how people can be fooled by it continuously.”
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