DEREK McINNES, the Aberdeen manager, insisted the Inverness midfielder Ross Draper conned referee Willie Collum as a defeat in the Highlands put a dent in his side’s hopes of winning the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Draper was accused of “buying” a penalty when he went down inside the box after a challenge of sorts by Ash Taylor. Inverness scored from the spot to make it 2-1 and from that point on never looked like losing.

The fact Collum looked the other way when Aberdeen had two good shouts for penalties of their own late in the game did little to improve the mood of McInnes who knows his players must win at Partick Thistle this Friday or risk Celtic opening up a gap at the top – they currently sit three points ahead having played a game less – which would be difficult to close over the remaining games

“ At 1-1, the game is poised and it is there to be won but key decisions in both boxes went against and should have gone for us and that’s pivotal in the result,” said McInnes.

“At the time I didn’t think there was anything in the penalty and having seen it again there’s no contact. The player has bought a penalty. He’s gone down under no contact and the ref has assumed contact has taken place. It’s clearly not a penalty.

“The same player bought a penalty in the last game and went down easily and it was the same tonight. If the referee it again he’ll make a different decision.

“The ref is peeking round from a position and it’s clearly not a penalty. Inverness played well but when the game is there to be won then that decision is pivotal.

McInnes felt his team were also penalised at the other end.

“Horner swiped Graeme Shinnie to the ground and Ash Taylor is pulled down,” he said. “On both occasions it should have been a penalty. We have 36 points to play for and on Friday we move on to try and win the game. We have to show what we have shown over the last 12 games – that same endeavour and fight.”

Inverness are now in the top six and their manager, John Hughes, was delighted with the manner in which his players recovered from a bad start.

“It was a good performance, a good result;” he said. “Aberdeen have not beaten us this year so we knew they would be at us. We lost an early goal but then showed the character and spirit that exists at this club.

And Hughes admitted: “If the penalty went against me, I would not have been happy. Draper got a touch but it was a 50-50.”