Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Malky Mackay: Aberdeen could have seen red twice in Viaplay Cup win at Ross County

The Staggies manager renewed his criticism of referee John Beaton after two of his players suffered injuries leading to hospital visits following two unpunished Dons challenges.

Ross County manager Malky Mackay disputes a decision against Aberdeen in midweek. Images: Ross Parker/SNS Group
Ross County manager Malky Mackay disputes a decision against Aberdeen in midweek. Images: Ross Parker/SNS Group

Malky Mackay insists Aberdeen could have been down to nine men in Wednesday’s Viaplay Cup quarter-final had VAR been in play, as he renewed his criticism of referee John Beaton.

The Dingwall club, who lost 2-1 against the Dons, are counting the cost of their cup defeat, with attacker Josh Sims sidelined due to a challenge made by the Reds’ Ryan Duncan.

Mackay also felt an ill-timed tackle by Pape Gueye on defender Josh Reid, which has  left the full-back doubtful for the Premiership visit of Hearts on Saturday, could have led to a red card, too – had the technology been in action.

Sims leg was cut open badly, while Reid has a hairline fracture to his foot, with both players only checking out of hospital in the early hours of Thursday morning.

County were the team who had a man sent off in the tie, losing Jack Baldwin on 12 minutes due to a last-man challenge on Duk following Graeme Shinnie’s volleyed opener, before Ester Sokler made it 2-0 Aberdeen late on.

Kyle Turner’s penalty halved the deficit, but Barry Robson’s side got over the line to set up a semi-final against Hibs at Hampden in November.

‘Clumsy’ challenge merited red card

Speaking on Thursday, Mackay said: “Josh (Sims) got out of the hospital at 6.15am on Thursday. They have taken X-rays and stitched up inside and outside – it’s a really nasty one.

“Josh Reid’s X-ray was at 4.15am.

“I had the conversation with (the SFA’s head of referees’ operations) Crawford Allan because, in a game of cards, neither merited a booking. I found that incredible.

Referee John Beaton.

“Both players had to go to hospital until the early hours of the morning. One is definitely not playing on Saturday, the other’s a doubt.

“The referee’s feedback (to Crawford Allan) was he didn’t see the incidents.

“When I looked at the Josh Sims challenge, Ryan Duncan would be off with VAR. It is as clear as a bell, it’s clumsy and he’s off.

“I am not sure who it was in the challenge, maybe Pape Gueye, but that was also reckless.

“They could have had two sent off if we had VAR.”

Careful approach needed with Sims

Mackay says he can’t put a timescale on Sims’ comeback at this stage.

He said: “He will be out for the time of a healing process of a leg.

Ross County’s Josh Sims is carried off the pitch after the challenge by Ryan Duncan.

“It will come down to how muscle and skin heal. We have to be very careful with that.

“At the moment he can’t walk, but if he goes back into something very quickly, something can open, and infection gets in – then you are talking about something on a different scale. We have to be very careful.”

In contrast to his frustration over Sims and Reid, Mackay was delighted there were no muscle injuries sustained against Aberdeen, despite the Staggies being a man down for most of the night.

Baldwin ‘wears heart on his sleeve’

Wednesday’s game was not the first time skipper Baldwin has been dismissed in his County career, however, his manager thinks the benefits of his captain’s aggressive approach far outweigh the blow of occasional red cards.

He added: “The nature of Jack’s position and the aggressive way in which I want us to play – starting points I want our players to have in pressing the game – that means at times there are going to be spaces in behind.

“It is also his area of the pitch and the fact he is a very committed defender who wears his heart on his sleeve.

“He will be on the front foot more than someone who just looks after himself.

Ross County’s Jack Baldwin leaves the pitch after being sent off against Aberdeen.

“He is a leader, captain and looks to help others, as well as himself. Sometimes that goes against you.

“I’ll take that 95 per cent of the time.

“He is someone who has been outstanding for me.

“I will take those absences because I have a character I want at the club, someone who leads from the front, off the field and at training every day.”

Conversation