DONS BOSS SLAMS REF ERROR

Whistler Alan Muir adjudged Dons midfielder Ryan Jack to have passed the ball back to goalkeeper Joe Lewis, who picked it up.

Danny Swanson opened the scoring from the resulting indirect free-kick and Craig Thomson sealed the win late on.

Dons boss McInnes said: “It’s a poor decision from the referee to declare that a pass-back and they’ve taken full advantage.

“The first goal is always really important against St Johnstone.

“We probably didn’t do enough to get ourselves in front, but we certainly didn’t look like losing it and I think the referee has a part to play in the first goal.

“Our set-up in how we dealt with the free-kick is up for question, but I don’t think it was a blatant pass back.

“Once we go behind we throw bodies forward and we get done on a counter-attack, which can happen.”

St Johnstone are just the third team to leave Pittodrie with three points in this season’s Premiership alongside champions Celtic and third-placed Rangers.

Despite the defeat, the Dons remain nine points clear of the Ibrox side with four games remaining and are 23 goals better off than Pedro Caixinha’s men.

Perth gaffer Tommy Wright said: “It was windy and blustery and the pitch is a bit uneven, so it wasn’t a game of beauty.

“But the result is the important thing for us at this stage of the season.

“We’ll play a lot better with the ball, but one thing we do when we’re not playing particularly well is grind it out.

“It’s up to the opposition to break you down and I don’t think Alan Mannus has had a save to make all game.”