We’re far from safe yet, says Aberdeen boss Stephen Robinson after win over Hibs

Aberdeen head coach Stephen Robinson insisted there was still work to do in the fight against relegation after Kevin Nisbet’s double earned him his first William Hill Premiership win as Dons boss with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Hibernian.

Nisbet netted from the penalty spot after Grant Hanley was adjudged to have pulled down Toyosi Olusanya, with VAR intervening to award the spot-kick and red card for the defender after referee David Dickinson initially waved play on.

Emmanuel Gyamfi escaped similar punishment after a potential violent conduct call before Nisbet rattled a shot in off the underside of the bar to seal the win and ease the pressure on his side, who had recorded just one victory in their prior 16 matches.

Robinson said: “I thought we were excellent throughout, even when it was 11 v 11. I thought some of our play today was really, really good. We didn’t look like we were in a relegation battle.

“The position we’re in comes with a lot of pressure and criticism, some of it deserved.

“The players stood up today and were counted. There were some really good performances and we spoke about keeping clean sheets which the team did and, if we put balls into the box, Kevin Nisbet will score goals, which he’s proved.

“It doesn’t make us safe by any stretch of the imagination, but that’s what I’m seeing on the training ground and we’ve now been able to put that on the pitch.

“There are good players here. There’s lots of things that haven’t been good enough this season and we’ll deal with that at the end of the season, but with this performance I’m very proud of how they played today.”

Hibs boss David Gray conceded the decision to send off Hanley was correct but felt Gyamfi could have followed the Scotland international off the pitch.

He said: “On the whole I think conditions were quite tough, there wasn’t a lot of quality football being played.

“I think the (Hanley) decision is the correct one – it’s really unfortunate as I think it’s completely accidental.

“The first contact is outside the box and if you give a foul for that – fine. It’s continued into the box and he – accidentally I think – catches (Olusanya), so it’s the right decision and then, as a result of that,
whether it’s right or wrong because it’s accidental, by the letter of the law it’s a red card.

“You find yourself from a pretty comfortable position to being 1-0 down and down to 10 men. I thought we did well without threatening Aberdeen and then the timing of the second goal is a bit of a sucker punch.”

On Gyamfi, Gray added: “I was surprised the foul wasn’t given in the first instance – I thought it was a clear foul at the time.

“VAR only intervene if they think it’s a red card. On one hand I compliment the referee for sticking to his guns and not being swayed, he states his opinion clearly, but it’s not the same opinion as me.

“The player makes a deliberate action to make contact with Owen (Elding)’s head and by the letter of the law I think that’s violent conduct. I think it would be soft, but it ticks every box for a red card.”