Defensive casualties had hampered the Dons up to the international break, but just as they start to ease, McInnes lost three midfielders to injury in one afternoon – in addition to Scott Wright's cruciate injury in midweek.

Craig Bryson and Funso Ojo were taken off, and substitute Jon Gallagher, who replaced Bryson, saw the game out but headed to hospital for x-rays on Saturday night.

McInnes said: "Jon Gallagher in a challenge with Liam Gordon, a fair challenge, but he's on the way to hospital now. We think he's got a problem with his tibia which he's going to get x-rayed. He was struggling to have any real impact, and it doesn't look good. It's possibly a fracture.

"Bryson isn't looking great at the minute either. He came to us with an ankle injury and landed awkwardly on the other one. Ojo was feeling both hamstrings tight before he went into a challenge and one feels worse than the other. We'll have to wait and see how it settles."

His counterpart, Tommy Wright, refused to call for VAR to be introduced to the Scottish game despite his doubts over the overturned penalty decision for his side in the second half of the match.

Referee Steven McLean had pointed to the spot after Matty Kennedy went down under the challenge of Andrew Considine, but after consultation with assistant referee Graeme Stewart, the decision was reversed.

Wright said: "I'm just trying to enjoy the point. I'm watching matches with VAR, and I think there's a lot of confusion with it.

"The bottom line for Scotland is I don't think we're going to be able to afford it. Unless financially the dynamic of the game changes here, it's not something we will have.

"UEFA and FIFA will want to get it into as many countries as possible, but I don't think it's in the near future for Scotland."