It was a game of two penalty boxes at Dingwall, Aberdeen skipper Joe Lewis admitting that the Dons were found wanting in both of them.

“It’s a hugely disappointing result and we expect so much more from ourselves than we saw today. Ultimately it comes down to the two penalty boxes. They haven’t scored through any incredible pieces of magic, they haven’t stuck it in the top corner from 25 yards, we were just flatfooted at both ends of the pitch, we were waiting for things to happen rather than being proactive and taking it by the scuff of the neck and that’s what happens as a result.

“We were slow to react to things in both boxes across the game. We were a bit flatfooted when the ball came into our box, we didn’t anticipate things well enough at the other end and it made for a very disappointing afternoon. We didn’t make the most of the opportunities we had, and they did, simple as that really.

“It is hugely disappointing. We didn’t anticipate things well enough. They took a bit of a gamble by leaving three up. It paid off for them in the end. We left ourselves three v three which we shouldn’t have done, we needed to be more disciplined especially early on to make sure that we didn’t leave ourselves exposed at the back.

“Once the ball is towards our box, we watched the ball too much when it is in the air, we got dragged towards the ball and left men spare.

“Their goalkeeper made some great saves in the first half when we had a good spell. I thought we deserved to pull that goal back just before half-time because we’d picked things up in the last 15 or 20 minutes of the half, but we couldn’t capitalise on getting back into the game in the second half. There were some decent passages of play in the second half, but we didn’t make the most of them.

“I thought we got into some good areas that we didn’t take advantage of. If you don’t take your chances and make the most of your attacking play then it gives them encouragement.

“We had to take some risks and try and get the goals back. It is hugely disappointing considering the defensive displays that we have put in this season, especially away from home. We need to be better in both boxes.

“If you are flat footed and watching the ball in both boxes then you are going to be punished and we were.

“Then the result was compounded by the two goals we conceded at the end. They made the score line look worse than it was because you’re pushing forward and taking risks to try to get the equaliser and leave yourselves open.

“But we’ll go away and assess the game. When emotions are high after a bad defeat, it isn’t always the best time to say too much, but we’ll reflect on it when we get back into training tomorrow and make sure that we’re nothing like that again this season because it just wasn’t good enough.”

“But we’ll go away and assess the game. When emotions are high after a bad defeat, it isn’t always the best time to say too much, but we’ll reflect on it when we get back into training tomorrow and make sure that we’re nothing like that again this season because it just wasn’t good enough.”