Collum in spotlight after errors in Aberdeen win

Adam Rooney strikes but the ball was ruled as having not crossed the line. Picture: SNS

Aberdeen won the game convicingly – their tenth victory in 12 league outings – thanks to goals from Andrew Considine, Ryan Jack and Niall McGinn. And the scoreline would have been even more impressive but for the performances of Collum and his assistants.

With the Dons 2-0 up and half-time approaching, striker Adam Rooney smashed a shot against the underside of the bar that bounced at least a foot over the line but neither Collum nor his assistant, David McGeachie, spotted a goal had been scored.

Aberdeen should then have had a penalty after the break when Rooney was clearly wrestled to the ground in the box by Hamilton’s Jesus Garcia Tena (who was later sent off for two separate offences), but Collum awarded a free-kick to the hosts.

Considine had a headed goal correctly disallowed for climbing on 64 minutes. But on 80 minutes the other linesman, Dougie Potter, raised an offside flag to chop off a David Goodwillie goal even though the Dons substitute was around three yards onside.

Collum, who is considered one of Scotland’s top officials and has refereed several Champions League games this season, was “rested” last month for two rounds of Premiership fixtures after a series of poor decisions.

Yesterday, Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes said: “Thankfully the decisions haven’t impacted on the result, otherwise we might be making a bit more of it.

“I’ve not seen Considine’s header again but I have seen the other two. Rooney’s should stand, it’s a good bit over the line. When you see how far it was over the line, we should be getting that right.”