Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes felt his side paid the price for a baffling penalty decision against Hearts – but admitted his players could not expect to win at Tynecastle after their first-half display.

The Dons fell to a 2-1 defeat against the Ladbrokes Premiership leaders.

Arnaud Djoum’s header was added to by Steven Naismith from the penalty spot two minutes before the break after referee Kevin Clancy penalised Lewis Ferguson for handball after he hit the deck while pressing the Scotland forward.

Aberdeen were much improved after bringing on Niall McGinn and Scott Wright at half-time and Gary Mackay-Steven pulled one back from the spot.

But the winger was denied by a great save from Zdenek Zlamal after Naismith had another penalty saved by Joe Lewis.

McInnes said: “Second goal is the one I am really disappointed with. I have seen it again and that’s why I asked the referee at half-time what he gave it for.

“Young Lewis is actually fouled by Naismith, I think Naismith actually slipped and leans into him. Young Lewis is clearly impeded. It’s hit his arm but he is only trying to stop his fall. And I just think we have got to be better than that. It’s not a penalty.

“But the crowd here can have a big influence on things, the atmosphere here is brilliant. I just wanted my team to make a better fist of it.

“But the second goal is ultimately the one that separates the teams and it made the task more difficult at half-time.

“After we score we had chances to get an equaliser and I felt it was coming. So we were far better second half, but hands down Hearts were fantastic first half, you can see why they are doing so well.

“For the first time in a long time they have a decent team here and the crowd have bought into it. It will be tough for any team coming here.

“If decisions go our way and we play the way we did second half, we might get something out of the game. But I don’t think any team, certainly not ourselves, can come here and expect to play for 45 minutes and win a game at Hearts.

“I felt Hearts started far more aggressively than us. We had to play beyond them more than we did, we had to have more belief and courage to get on the ball and pass the ball better.

“We were loose with our clearances and hands down Hearts were the better team.”

Hearts lost Peter Haring to a muscle injury on top of long-term blows for John Souttar and Uche Ikpeazu and manager Craig Levein was delighted with the way his side bounced back from defeat by Rangers.

“It was a big test for us after our first defeat and then losing players,” he said.

“I talked at length about the strength of our squad and it was good to see Oli Bozanic come in and do well and Clevid (Dikamona) came in and did well, and young Marcus (Godinho) hasn’t even been involved in a reserve game and we had to rush him back to play. All of them were excellent.

“It was satisfying watching that first half in particular, I just wish we got the goals that we deserved, and then it would have been slightly easier.”