Hibs likely to appeal Ryan Porteous red card against Aberdeen amid fears of four-game ban

Shaun Maloney confirmed Hibs would appeal the red card shown to Ryan Porteous

The 22-year-old was sent off for a foul on Ross McCrorie, with Lewis Ferguson scoring the resultant penalty and Hibs playing the last half hour with ten men, having already conceded a penalty when Rocky Bushiri was penalised for a handball.

There are fears the centre-back could be suspended for up to four games, having already been sent off once and incurred a retrospective red card.

Maloney said: "I think we’ll appeal the red card. We’ll look at it on Monday but for me it was incorrect, he’s gone for the ball.

“Definite penalty, but the rules are that he shouldn’t send him off. It’s disappointing because it had a big effect on the game.”

Looking back on the match as a whole, the Hibs boss said: “It was very difficult – I think the last half-hour, when you’re down to ten men, it always slightly skews the feeling but the game changed with two decisions.

"I think we can play better but the referee unfortunately got the decisions incorrect but that’s football.”

Pressed on what mistakes Alan Muir made the Easter Road boss continued: “I didn’t think the first penalty was one; it hits Rocky’s knee before it hits his arm, and the rules mean it shouldn’t be a penalty.

“With Ryan, it’s a penalty but he made a genuine attempt to get the ball so he shouldn’t be red carded. The two decisions completely changed the game.

"I don’t think we were playing fantastically well in the first half; Aberdeen weren’t creating many opportunities but the penalty changed that.”

Revealing that Hibs received an explanation of sorts from Muir for the sending-off, Maloney added: “People make mistakes. He didn’t think Ryan made an attempt to win the ball but if you watch it back you can see him go for the ball, but for sure he gets the man so it’s a penalty, but the red card is incorrect.

“[The referee] didn’t see the deflection off Rocky’s knee onto his arm either so he gets that wrong and he said he apologised. But that’s what happens. People make mistakes. When we have moments like that it’s difficult, but that’s football.”

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