Fuming Hibs boss Lee Johnson took aim at VAR after James Jeggo was controversially shown a red card - but admitted he had to "be careful" over an appeal after Aberdeen's SFA KO.
The Easter Road side earned their spot in the top six despite a scare against the Perth Saints as Stevie May's overhead kick found the net after an error from David Marshall let the ball slip under the stopper, but Lewis Stevenson levelled the game for the visitors to McDiarmid Park. However, the pressure was on Johnson's men after the red card to Jeggo just three minutes into the second half.
Jeggo went in to a 50-50 challenge with St Johnstone's Connor McLennan where he appeared to win the ball first, but referee Craig Napier quickly brandished a red card for the midfielder and was not given the opportunity to review the incident by Chris Graham in the VAR room. That sparked a furious reaction from the Hibs boss after the full-time whistle as he told BBC Sportsound: "I didn't think it was a red card.
"I am really disappointed. It was a really poor decision from two sets of officials. The officials on the day and the officials in the VAR room. It doesn't surprise me because I have seen too much inconsistency throughout the season.
"It comes down to what am I coaching my players, and obviously it's a contact sport. When the player wins the ball cleanly and then an opposition player steams in blindside and maybe gets caught - or maybe doesn't - then a player goes in a game of this magnitude.
"I was looking at my CEO who is obviously a good friend of mine and I am relaxed (after the red card). I am thinking this is going to get overturned, much to my dismay and shock it wasn't. The system is broken and it needs fixing. I trust the powers that be to do that."
Asked about the potential of an appeal, Johnson admitted Aberdeen's row with the SFA over Graeme Shinnie's red card would now play a factor in his call. He went on: "You have got to be careful actually.
"If you appeal and it's deemed as a frivolous appeal; so even though 100 per cent I believe it wasn't a foul there is still a risk of costing the player because of that system. We have to be very careful and takes some advice.
"You saw Aberdeen do that with Shinnie and get an extra game on the back of it. We don't want it to go from two games to three games."
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