It was always going to be an uphill struggle for Aberdeen against Kilmarnock after Mikey Devlin was sent off.
Craig Thomson chose to dismiss the centre-back after just five minutes for pulling back Eamonn Brophy and denying a clear goal- scoring opportunity.
The decision to brandish the red card spoiled the game.
It put the Dons on the back foot right from the off.
It’s a decision that when you make it the referee has to be 100% certain it’s a clear goal-scoring opportunity and I don’t know how Thomson can say that when Brophy is 35 yards out.
There’s a lot can go on between where the incident happened and the ball ending up in the back of the net.
You’ve also got to consider that Shay Logan and Andy Considine were in close attendance and could have got across to cover. A booking would have been enough for that incident.
A referee with Thomson’s experience should be able to take a deep breath, think things through, assess the situation and come up with a better result.
When I saw it first time I didn’t think it was a red card and that opinion hasn’t changed.
Most people looking at it would assess it as being too far out to be a clear goalscoring opportunity.
I thought it was wrong to send Devlin off and from that moment on it was an uphill battle for the Dons.
Sometimes 10 men can handle 11 men, but it’s always difficult, particularly when it happens so early in the game.
Killie deserved their victory but Aberdeen were hard done by with the red card.
It’s also compounded by having a clear penalty turned down against Hibs at Easter Road a week earlier.
The Dons can feel aggrieved to have had those two decisions go against them so early in the season.
After the sending off it was difficult to see Aberdeen coming out with a victory. But I thought Killie played quite well and handled the situation calmly.
Brophy was always a thorn in the side of the Reds and played extremely well and the home defence struggled to cope with him.
Brophy got the first goal and the second goal was a magnificent effort from Greg Stewart who came back to haunt his old team.
It was typical really. Football often throws up these circumstances where players return and do things they didn’t at their old club and that was the case with Stewart.
There’s no question he has talent – but it wasn’t expressed well enough at Aberdeen. The goal he scored on Saturday was worthy of winning the game.
When you look at the start to the Premiership season it looks disappointing with five points from four games.
The decisions in the last two games haven’t helped and it means Aberdeen need to find their form.
Hopefully they can get James Wilson on the field to make an impact after he missed the Killie game with a tight hamstring.
There hasn’t been enough of a goal threat so far this season from the Dons. The only game where they looked like scoring at will was in the 4-0 League Cup win against St Mirren.
Derek McInnes will be desperate to get Wilson on the pitch and scoring.
One positive from Saturday was Max Lowe’s debut. The left-back signed on loan from Derby looked good.
Bringing Lowe in was required because of defensive injuries and when Graeme Shinnie is moved out of midfield you lose aggression and intensity.
Lowe seems to have a good football brain, he was composed and good going forward and comfortable in defence.
The addition of the 21-year-old looks to be a positive one.
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