Aberdeen have confirmed the Scottish Football Association had contacted them seeking an explanation for their outspoken attack on referee Steven Nicholls. Monday saw the Dons use their official website to blast Nicholls for sending off Maurice Ross and Chris Maguire during Saturday's 2-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat at Hibernian.

Director of football Willie Miller defended the statement on Tuesday, saying: "I would hope they (the SFA) would see there are valid points."

SFA head of referee development Hugh Dallas said he had been "very comfortable with the two major decisions in the match".