Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin accused Ryan Porteous of cheating to win Hibernian a penalty in the home side’s 3-1 victory at Easter Road.
Porteous and Dons defender Liam Scales tangled in the penalty box in the final minute of the first half, with the Irishman sent off for a second booking.
Martin Boyle converted the spot-kick to draw his team level after Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes’ opener, before two Josh Campbell goals sealed the win for Hibs.
Goodwin felt Porteous had conned the match officials, with the pair exchanging words at full-time.
The former St Mirren boss said: “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.
“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 has cost my team points.
“I told Porteous 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.”
Hibs boss Lee Johnson praised his players for recovering from the loss of that early goal to run out convincing winners.
He said: “I’m very pleased, it was a really accomplished performance. We had a difficult start, conceding so early. It was a poor set-up and the sort of thing that frustrates you as a manager.
“You do all the work but there was a lack of communication and naivety there, although it was a great finish.
“But I have to be honest – we were convincingly the better side in the first half.
“We lacked a little bit of quality and composure in the final third. But we certainly earned the opportunity for the penalty and I felt we could have had one earlier for a handball.
“I thought our general play was on the front foot, we stayed high and pressed. Second half we had complete control and arguably could have scored a few more.”
