Ryan Porteous Aberdeen penalty mind games backfire as Lewis Ferguson returns to Hibs star with 'keeper did well' jibe

Lewis Ferguson claimed red-carded Ryan Porteous tried to get in his head on Saturday afternoon.

But it backfired as Aberdeen’s full focus was all about sneaking into the top six.

Hibs went ahead through a Calvin Ramsay own goal but Jim Goodwin claimed his first win as Dons manager thanks to a Ferguson penalty double and a late strike from Vicente Besuijen.

Visiting boss Shaun Maloney felt the first penalty shouldn’t have been given because Connor Barron’s shot came off Rocky Bushiri’s knee then his hand. He appeared to have a case.

Hibs defender Porteous attempted to play mind games by claiming Kevin Dabrowski was a top penalty stopper before Ferguson stepped up and sent him the wrong way to level.

The Dons midfielder said: “I know Porto. I’ve played with him plenty of times through Scotland and through the different age groups.

“He was just telling me how good the keeper was at saving penalties – as he does.

“You know what he’s like. I was just standing, listening to him, then put my penalty down the middle.

“I gave him a wee bit on the way back and told him the keeper did well there. He’s obviously trying to put me off by saying how good the keeper is at saving penalties.

“He’s just trying to put me off a bit but I’d probably try the same with him to be honest if he was taking a penalty. It was just a bit of a laugh.”

Aberdeen were given a second spot-kick in the second period. David Bates cracked a header off the bar and Porteous took out Ross McCrorie as the Dons man went to net.

Maloney agreed it was a penalty but didn’t think it was a sending-off as his defender tried to play the ball. He plans to appeal.

But Ferguson revealed he was screaming for the sending-off before he stepped up to beat Dabrowski again