Don Robertson apologises for allowing Celtic goal as Derek McInnes rues 'helping hand'

Derek McInnes revealed blundering ref Don Robertson apologised to him at half-time for giving Celtic a ‘helping hand’ to the title.

The official allowed play to continue as Adam Idah opened up the scoring in a 5-0 rout for the champions - despite decking Kilmarnock defender Robbie Deas moments earlier with a flying arm on the half way line. Idah raced into the box to divert a Matt O’Riley shot into the net and get the visitors off to a flyer just 5 minutes in. And McInnes said afterwards: “The first goal should have been pulled back and Don Robertson apologised at half-time. He said it wasn’t a foul but he knew it was a head knock and he should have stopped the game. It’s poor from him because he’s a good official.

“They didn’t need a helping hand but they got one and they were really good with their work. There was so much wrong with what we did tonight. But a big part was what Celtic were doing.”

But McInnes admitted his Europa League qualifiers were taken apart by a rampant Celtic side. He said: “It was the toughest 90 mins we’ve had to endure. That was partly us but congratulations to Celtic. I thought they’d have beaten any team in the league tonight, they were so strong. We’re always professional and give the best account of ourselves but subconsciously for the players, when you’re playing a team with so much more on the game, it’s difficult. They played with intensity and didn’t let us breathe.

“But it’s been a brilliant campaign even if my face doesn’t look like it at the minute. It’s not the way we wanted the last home game to play out and it was always going to be tough. We looked like a team who had done our work. But what a season it’s been and this isn’t going to spoil it.”