Inside the Aberdeen FC dressing room reaction to late St Mirren gut punch as 'sickened' players didn't say a WORD

Aberdeen might have been bullied by Kilmarnock the last time they played but Killian Phillips is confident the Dons can land the big Scottish Cup knockout on Saturday.

Neil Warnock’s stinging criticism of his team after their 2-0 defeat at Rugby Park last month made mass headlines. Phillips knows he and his teammates couldn’t argue with their manager’s harsh assessment but thinks lessons have been learned and they will be a far different proposition going into their quarter-final clash with Killie at Pittodrie. “It stings every time you lose a game,” the on-loan Crystal Palace player claimed.

“When the gaffer said stuff like that he was right in what he said. It does hurt and it is up to us to turn it around to make it right. We have a chance to put the wrongs right. It is nice that it is away from the league and a one-off game. It has to end on the day, someone has to win. It was a tough game against Kilmarnock as they are a good side who are having a decent season.

“It is a one-off cup game and no two games are the same. Winning your individual battles is the first priority in any game. That’s what you have to do and the rest will take care of itself.”

Aberdeen have taken some big hits in recent weeks. None more so than losing to St Mirren last weekend after conceding two sickening goals in stoppage time, leaving Warnock searching for his first league win. Phillips admitted it was a real eye-opener.

“It was the sickest I have ever felt playing football to be honest,” he added. The boys were the same. No-one said anything on the bus. Not a word. It hurt a lot. We worked hard and were near perfect defensively until the 90th minute.

“It was gutted and all the lads felt the same. It was a tough one to take. I think we were