Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee bemoaned the performance of referee Steven Nicholls after watching his nine-man side fall to a late 2-0 defeat by Hibernian at Easter Road.

Goals in the dying minutes from substitute Colin Nish and Liam Miller - his first for his new club - sent Hibs up to second spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, ahead of Rangers playing at Dundee United.

But Nicholls' display was the main talking point after he dished out six yellow cards and two red in a game that could hardly have been branded physical or fiery.

Maurice Ross, who only recently signed a short-term deal with the Dons, was ordered off for a second yellow card on 48 minutes before striker Chris Maguire, cautioned in the first, soon followed him after a straight red.

McGhee refused to defend ex-Rangers defender Ross, but was critical of Maguire's dismissal and also pointed the finger at Hibs' Ian Murray for a strong challenge on Fraser Fyvie that left the 16-year-old Red with suspected ankle ligament damage. Murray, notably, was not booked for the tackle.

McGhee said: "I thought the first red was unnecessary and clumsy of Maurice Ross, first of all he tried to play a ball round the boy when he should have played it down the line. Then he followed through and had a clumsy challenge which the referee was entitled to send him off for.

"For Maguire's first yellow he pulled out of the challenge and I don't think the referee should have booked him. The second one Maguire maintains that all he did was turn his foot to try and get the ball, he didn't try to injury anyone. If it was a straight red, he (Nicholls) has got it wrong then.

"I think he has booked a couple unnecessarily and he has got a straight red card wrong."

Fyvie was stretchered off late on and McGhee added: "Fraser looks as though he is badly injured, it looks like ankle ligament damage.

"I thought that tackle could be argued legitimate, he won the ball, but I think it was over-robust.

"I think it was a tackle the referee should have taken action on - the linesman was standing right next to him."

Counterpart John Hughes, meanwhile, backed Murray's tackle after viewing it post-match, claiming the left-back won the ball and Fyvie went over on his ankle.

He said: "I think Ian played the ball first. What do you do? Houdini can't disappear out of that.

"You play the tackle and you can't disappear. As long as you play the ball first - and I think Ian does that. He's a whole-hearted boy, there is no malice in him."

But Hughes, who expects Merouane Zemmama to be fit next weekend after he tweaked his groin, felt some sympathy with McGhee over the reds.

He added: "Sendings-off spoil the game. I think one of them was justified, but I can sympathise with Mark.

"I keep saying this - we are getting into the realms of football being non-contact.

"I think Scottish supporters like a wee bit of physical contact. Maybe one or two early bookings and the ref brought pressure on himself."

Almost 14,000 watched the contest and Hughes believes the good times are returning to Leith.

He said: "There is a wee feeling about Easter Road that something is always going to happen. Thankfully, we gave them their reward."