Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee bemoaned the performance of referee Steven Nicholls after watching his nine-man side fall to a late 2-0 defeat by Hibernian at Easter Road.

Goals in the dying minutes from substitute Colin Nish and Liam Miller sent Hibs up to second spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, but Nicholls' display was the main talking point after he dished out six yellow cards and two red in a game that could hardly have been branded physical or fiery.

He said: "I think he has booked a couple unnecessarily and he has got a straight red card wrong."

Maurice Ross, who only recently signed a short-term deal with the Dons, was ordered off for a second yellow card on 48 minutes before striker Chris Maguire, cautioned in the first, soon followed him after a straight red.

McGhee refused to defend ex-Rangers defender Ross, but was critical of Maguire's dismissal and also pointed the finger at Hibs' Ian Murray for a strong challenge on Fraser Fyvie that left the 16-year-old Red with suspected ankle ligament damage. Murray, notably, was not booked for the tackle.

McGhee said: "I thought the first red was unnecessary and clumsy of Maurice Ross, first of all he tried to play a ball round the boy when he should have played it down the line. Then he followed through and had a clumsy challenge which the referee was entitled to send him off for."

"For Maguire's first yellow he pulled out of the challenge and I don't think the referee should have booked him.

"The second one Maguire maintains that all he did was turn his foot to try and get the ball, he didn't try to injury anyone. If it was a straight red, he (Nicholls) has got it wrong then."

Fyvie was stretchered off late on and McGhee added: "Fraser looks as though he is badly injured, it looks like ankle ligament damage.

"I thought that tackle could be argued legitimate, he won the ball, but I think it was over-robust. I think it was a tackle the referee should have taken action on - the linesman was standing right next to him."