Tony Docherty emphasised his pride in his Dundee players after seeing his side clinch their spot in the cinch Premiership top six after a trying week.

The Dark Blues weathered an early Aberdeen storm but grew into the game and dominated proceedings, although only Lyall Cameron’s 70th-minute effort, which was blocked by Angus MacDonald, really threatened the home goal.

The hosts had a late flurry before captain Graeme Shinnie saw red deep into injury time for a second bookable offence.

Docherty, whose side’s game against Rangers was called off in mid-week due to a waterlogged pitch, said: “There’s an enormous sense of satisfaction and pride in the players. They deserve all the credit for everything they’ve done.

“There are certain seasons a team can get to a cup final by winning four or five games, but to do it over the course of a season, from being the newly-promoted team. It’s the youngest group in the league and it’s huge testament to them.”

Dundee’s top-six spot was confirmed thanks to Motherwell’s late equaliser against Hibernian.

“Our kitman was keeping in touch with the Hibs game, but the supporters got there before him,” added Docherty.

“It was a day where we had to adapt. We threw on strikers and then the goal (for Motherwell) comes so we throw on defenders.

“Today was a fantastic, gritty performance, but we’ve earned it over the course of the campaign. It’s testament to the players and I’m so pleased for them.”

Aberdeen caretaker Peter Leven felt his side had to score when they were in the ascendancy in the first half.

He said: “I thought we were really good first half, but I turned to the bench and said we need to score when we’re on top.

“We caused Dundee problems and they had to change their shape, then they changed personnel, but we really had to get that goal.

“We lacked a bit of cutting edge. We generally played well in our tempo and intensity, but in front of goal we’re a wee bit shy.

“I’ve not seen the red card as yet. I didn’t even know if it was for a second yellow, but I’ll need to watch it back.”

Aberdeen have claimed VAR is having a negative impact on Scottish football after discovering officials effectively “guessed” that their stoppage-time winner at Livingston should be disallowed following a technical failure.

The Dons saw their hopes of a cinch Premiership top-six finish disappear when Bojan Miovski’s goal was disallowed for an offside against Angus MacDonald in the build-up.

Aberdeen argued their “relative public silence” on VAR issues was “no longer tenable” following talks with the Scottish Football Association on the decision and hearing transcripts from the match officials.

The talks revealed the video assistants were unable to calibrate the lines because of a camera failure, instead freezing the footage to determine by eye, as is allowed by the VAR protocols. Video assistant Matthew MacDermid decided MacDonald was offside.

The SFA later produced retrospective footage to prove the right decision had been made in the end.

An Aberdeen statement read: “The Scottish FA accepted there is no conceivable way the VAR could tell definitively the deepest position of Livingston midfielder Daniel McKay’s body, because from the only angle available – the 18-yard box camera on the Main Stand side – the lower half of McKay’s body is completely obscured from view, blocked by other players.

“Even if his full body was visible, it’s impossible to determine who was closest to the goal line with no on-pitch ‘markers’.

“Therefore, it was acknowledged by all in attendance at the meeting that the VARs had to effectively guess on what that position might have been based on the limited information available to them, and that was the basis on which to overrule the on-field call of the assistant referee, who did not raise his flag.

“It is our strong belief that in such an instance, and for the integrity of the game, the match officials should stick with their original on-field decision without the strength of evidence to overturn that and essentially re-referee the passage of play.

“This course of action was chosen ahead of asking the referee himself to look at the freeze frame and make a determination, which is permitted under the protocols when it’s a matter of opinion rather than factual, or more appropriately, in absence of a definitive outcome from the camera, sticking with the on-field decision, and giving the benefit of the doubt.”

The club added: “What this situation demonstrates, in our opinion, is that the version of VAR that Scottish football has, or more accurately, can afford, is not suitable for the purpose in which it is intended.

“It perfectly highlights the limitations in the technology, the inappropriate implementation, the consistency of decision-making, and the negative impact on the overall experience for the match-going supporter.

“This is, of course, not an issue that we believe is in any way exclusive to Aberdeen FC.

“We are not being partisan because we believe a decision, or at least a process, has not been at all effective at the weekend.

“We acknowledge there have been occasions where we ourselves have been fortunate to have benefitted from some of the observations and limitations raised.”

Aberdeen pledged to continue playing an active role in the ongoing review of VAR’s use in Scotland and try to improve the output.

They added that they did not believe VAR is “enhancing the game in this country”.

The SFA later stated that Hawkeye’s review confirmed that the relevant camera had suffered a “loss of calibration”.

A statement added: “During the review, Hawkeye were able to reprocess the data through their system and draw the calibrated offside lines from the disallowed goal, which showed Angus MacDonald to be in an offside position.

“The VAR made the decision using the technology that was available and this decision was validated by Hawkeye’s retrospective recalibration conducted as part of their review.”

Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven rued Bojan Miovski’s late disallowed goal as the Dons were held to a 0-0 cinch Premiership draw away to bottom side Livingston.

The striker’s close-range effort looked to have settled a disappointing game in the final minute before it was disallowed, after VAR spotted Angus MacDonald had been offside in the build-up.

The Dons – who finished third last season – have endured a frustrating season and this result confirmed they would definitely finish in the bottom six this time around.

Leven said: “I’ve not seen the angle back. Angus (MacDonald) thought he was onside but I’ve not seen it back.

“It was a sickener at the end. It’s a great finish but overall I don’t think we did enough to put pressure on their goal.

“From back to middle we were all right but I don’t think we had that spark in the final third.

“It was difficult with the high winds and the dry pitch. We tried to get the ball down and play and we punched it through the lines.

“We saw that with the pass for Bojan and Leighton Clarkson got the ball a couple of times. It’s difficult for both teams.

“I see it as two points dropped to be honest. We don’t get the goal in the 90th minute but I’m delighted with the clean sheet.

“That’s really important to build on that but I’ve always said, if we can’t win we don’t lose.”

Livingston manager David Martindale, meanwhile, praised the character of his side as they hung on for a point to close the gap to second-bottom Ross County – to nine points – with six games remaining.

He said: “One thing you can never question from the group of players is the character. I thought they gave everything today.

“The weather wasn’t good. The amount of head knocks. It was stop-start and not any fluidity. In that first half, both teams had their best chances.

“The second half, I felt we were the better team if I’m honest. I am not being disrespectful to Aberdeen.

“We tried to build. We got into good offensive areas. I felt the execution in the final third was missing.

“Whether that was down to our decision-making or Aberdeen defending well. Probably a wee bit of both.

“We were unlucky not to take something more from the game today if I’m honest.”

C fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with HJK in a Europa Conference League game that was held up by a Helsinki snow storm.

The referee briefly stopped the game early in the second half because the travelling Dons fans were throwing snowballs, before a longer delay to allow several snow ploughs to clear the pitch.

Aberdeen were two goals down inside 33 minutes but a stunning strike from Angus MacDonald gave them a lifeline.

Duk levelled in the 56th minute before the 13-minute delay. There had been snow on the artificial pitch at the Bolt Arena from the start with an orange ball deployed and there was no let-up throughout amid temperatures of -5C.

Aberdeen finished the stronger team after the game restarted but could not convert several late chances.

Both teams were consigned to a bottom-two finish in Group G after match day four and the home side’s domestic season ended on October 21 when they clinched the Finnish title on goal difference.

Barry Robson made eight changes to the team that started Sunday’s draw with Rangers. MacDonald made his first start in almost three months following an injury-hit start to the season, while 20-year-old Jack Milne and summer signing Pape Habib Gueye both made their first starts for the club.

Milne showed promise in the opening stages with a good run and cross that led to shots from Duk and Gueye but neither could get through to test the home goalkeeper.

HJK soon got on top and Kelle Roos twice saved well with his feet before the home pressure paid off in the 16th minute. Slobodan Rubezic sold himself with an over-eager attempt to cut out a forward pass and Hassane Bande took advantage as he fired high into the net.

The home side clipped the post and the bar in the following moments and Aberdeen squandered two chances to put HJK under pressure from free-kicks following cynical challenges. The Dons would be subjected to several more throughout the game as Kosovan referee Genc Nuza adopted a lenient approach, although two players were booked from each side.

Aberdeen fell further behind when Santeri Hostikka skipped past three weak challenges and fired through a crowded goalmouth into the bottom corner.

The Dons got back into the game completely out of the blue in the 41st minute. MacDonald controlled a pass 30 yards out and fired the bouncing ball into the top corner.

Robson made two half-time changes as Ester Sokler replaced the ineffective Gueye and Jamie McGrath came on for Ryan Duncan.

The referee turned to Jonny Hayes to try to stop the Aberdeen fans throwing snowballs as HJK prepared to take a goal-kick early in the second half and Sokler was also unsettling the home defence with his harrying.

The substitute’s hard work led to the corner which resulted in Aberdeen’s 56th-minute equaliser. Richard Jensen flicked on Connor Barron’s delivery and Duk nodded home at the far post.

HJK substitute Jukka Raitala fired over from six yards in the 72nd minute just before Nuza took the players off.

Aberdeen re-emerged the stronger team. McGrath and Sokler each twice threatened and substitute Bojan Miovski saw an effort saved as Aberdeen broke with numbers.

The Dons were disappointed when the final whistle eventually sounded as they searched for a winner on a pitch which was again covered in snow with the lines barely visible.