DEREK McInnes claimed Aberdeen fans were mistreated by stewards after Dons exited the Europa League qualifiers with a 2-0 defeat against Apollon Limassol at the AEK Arena.

A video on social media appeared to show some visiting fans clashing with stewards in the stand after the 3-2 aggregate loss in Cyprus.

Flares were lit early in the second half in the home section, with one thrown and landing inside the goal behind Aberdeen goalkeeper Joe Lewis.

Television caught Swiss referee Stephan Klossner telling an official that he would abandon the match if the behaviour did not cease. It did calm down, but McInnes was unimpressed.

He told BBC Radio Scotland: “I have not spoken to Joe about it but you could see it was a difficult situation with the smoke covering that whole area.

“It is ridiculous behaviour, that we have to deal with that.

“It didn’t help the flow of the game in the second half but I don’t think he was damaged, I don’t think it affected him too much.

“We expected it to be a wee bit volatile and plenty of passion from the side but it did boil over at times.

“I am hearing our fans got treated terribly as well by the stewards here, steaming in with flares and tear gas and everything else to defuse the situation.

“I didn’t get to see it but I am hearing it second hand and you seen some of the stuff that was going on, things getting thrown on to the pitch, people spitting into the dugout, flares getting thrown on - that’s when you should have seen the stewards being more visible, not treating our fans the way they did.”

The Dons’ 2-1 lead from the first leg of the third qualifier at Pittodrie was cancelled out and more in the 17th minute when Apollon attacker Andre Schembri fired in from 14 yards.

The goal changed the dynamic of the tie but while McInnes’ side stepped up their efforts, home substitute Emilio Zelaya added a second in the 86th minute to give the Cypriot side a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Aberdeen have exited the competition at this stage for the fourth successive season.

The Dons, inspired by Graeme Shinnie in midfield, started positively and set about trying to add to their first-leg advantage.

However, they relinquished control all too easily after their defence failed to deal with a Jander cross from the left, after he drove past Greg Stewart.

Anton Maglica picked up the ball and when he laid it back to Schembri he swept in to the net with Aberdeen winger Gary Mackay-Steven unable to keep it out on the line.

The Granite City men knew they had to score and minutes later Ryan Christie’s whipped-in free-kick from 25 yards was pushed away by keeper Bruno Vale Aberdeen pressed harder in the final stages but with four minutes remaining the home side broke with pace and after Lewis brilliantly tipped a close-range shot from Marios Stylianou on to the bar his fellow substitute Zelaya followed up to fire high into the net and end the Dons’ European journey.