JIMMY NICHOLL was critical of referee Steven McLean and the reaction of his Rangers players after a crucial penalty call at Pittodrie.

The Light Blues had to come from a goal down to earn a share of the spoils against Aberdeen and maintain their ambitions of finishing second this term.

Rangers started brightly but were left furious as McLean awarded the Dons a spot kick for an Alfredo Morelos challenge on Kenny McLean.

Read more: Aberdeen 1-1 Rangers: Points are shared at Pittodrie as battle for second goes to the final day

Nicholl said: “I am disappointed. The first 15 minutes we were on top of the game with fast, flowing football, getting down the right hand side.

“We controlled the game, then there was the penalty kick. It’s all right us seeing it at the side and knowing it wasn’t a penalty, I’m frustrated at the side.

“But they haven’t seen it. They had to get on with it, but they didn’t. They got frustrated with the decision and lost their way.

“That was the annoying thing. We had to get them in at half-time and get the football head back on again.

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“If you get frustrated with refereeing decisions, you lose concentration and you don’t do your jobs properly. We have a game to win, if you want to do it with eight, nine or 10 men, that’s not going to happen.

“Forget about what happened and do what you did in that first 15 minutes. They did that and it was a great 45 minutes.

“There was a determination, solid at the back, breaking from the middle of the park. It was a good goal from Ross McCrorie, a determined young player who went with conviction.

“It got us in to the game at 1-1 and I thought we dominated the second half.”

McCrorie’s second half header cancelled out McLean’s opener from the spot as Rangers battled to a well deserved point.

Victory over Hibernian on Sunday will hand them second place if Aberdeen slip up against Celtic and interim boss Nicholl has urged his players to end another rollercoaster campaign on a high note.

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He said: “There are certain games they go about and I can’t defend them. You can’t defend the two Celtic games.

“You can’t defend that. You just wonder why. But that’s gone and all we’re trying to do is restore a bit of pride. That’s all they can do.

“Restore a bit of pride, win a game of football, which I thought they should’ve done tonight, win on Sunday and hopefully finish second and get into Europe.

“Whatever happens in the summer with new players coming in, with players being out of contract, players on loan, players being here for two or three years, happens.”