Aberdeen's hopes of League Cup glory were ended by Rangers despite a relatively gritty showing by the underdogs at Hampden Park, but it was a tough watch on Halloween night.

Derek McInnes' men had been in excellent form and many in red and white feared the worst pre-match, however, the depleted Dons showed a degree of resilience in the face of the storm that has hung around the Granite City and manager Stephen Robinson.

They actually had one or two openings to win the tie themselves, but as has been the case for a lot of this season, the ruthlessness was lacking.

There's no doubt there was fighting spirit, something that probably should come as standard, but in the second half Rangers enjoyed a jaw-dropping 91% possession meaning it was an uncomfortable evening for 10,000 Aberdeen fans who made the trip to Glasgow and the eventual outcome felt inevitable.

Referee Ryan Lee and VAR John Beaton have copped a lot of flak for failing to award a possible penalty at either end or penalise the torso-high challenge by Rangers' James Penrice on Afeez Aremu.

On the latter, the Dons have a big case for grievance - it seemed a pretty straightforward decision - but Penrice survived before later going on to tee Ryan Naderi up for the winner.

And so it is back to league business before the international window as a newly buoyed but still 12th-placed Hibernian go to Pittodrie for a teatime clash on Saturday having reached the League Cup showpiece themselves.

On the surface, it looks like a game Robinson cannot afford to lose. A two-goal Hibs victory coupled with a Kilmarnock success at Celtic Park the following day would leave the Dons bottom of the pile going into that break.

This feels like a must-win for the latest incumbent in the home dugout and he may need more than a bit of grit to do so.