With Richard Jensen missing through illness, Warnock had started with one centre-back and two full-backs in his defence, but his double change on the half-hour sparked an instant response.

Forward Duk netted within 30 seconds of he and centre-back Angus MacDonald replacing midfielders Shayden Morris and Dante Polvara before Stefan Gartenmann and Duk again had Aberdeen level by the 50th minute.

Both sides had potential winners disallowed - Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski for offside and Motherwell's Harry Paton after a VAR review.

Warnock was unconvinced by referee Kevin Clancy's faith in the VAR system.

"VAR, I don't believe it, me," he said. "He said VAR is a computer. I think it's the Horizon computer."

Motherwell move up to seventh, while Aberdeen remain ninth, with both sides on 26 points.

With centre-half Richard Jensen having called off sick, Warnock named only three defenders - and one natural centre-half - and the veteran manager admitted the change in system "turned out to be a disaster" in "a nightmare start"

Shayden Morris fouled Georgie Gent in the box, Bair slammed the penalty home and then tucked his second away after Georgie Gent put in a fantastic cross into the corridor of uncertainty.

Aberdeen looked stunned and, when Blair Spittal had a shot blocked on the edge of the area, Devine ghosted in to prod past goalkeeper Kelle Roos.

Warnock praised the swift response from his players to his substitutions as, following a throw-in, Duk took one touch to set himself and tickled the ball past goalkeeper Liam Kelly with his second.

Pittodrie roared and, six minutes later, roared again. Connor Barron whipped in a brilliant cross that was flicked on at the front post, Kelly made a save, but it came straight to Gartenmann, who tucked home at the back post.

Aberdeen started the second half in the same vein and, when Graeme Shinnie swung a big cross in, Duk beat Devine in the air to nod in off the back post.

Both sides traded chances and Miovski had the ball in the back of the net after deflecting a cross in off his knee. The striker was flagged offside immediately, but the replay showed it was very tight.

It wasn't the last time VAR Steven MacLean would get involved.

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell was also left unhappy as Paton diverted home from close range after Aberdeen fluffed clearing a corner, but VAR saw a foul on Jamie McGrath in the build-up and the hosts were granted a reprieve.

Player of the Match - Georgie Gent

Theo Bair and Duk excelled, but Georgie Gent punished Aberdeen's narrow shape at the start to full effect. One of the league's most under-rated players.

Well soft centre exposed as Warnock wizardry rescues draw - analysis

It looked for all the world that Motherwell were about to win away in the league for the first time since September.

They were at their very best, ripping apart an experimental Aberdeen XI.

Then Warnock intervened. His substitutions were perfect, strengthening Aberdeen's core and attacking the weak Motherwell back-line.

At 3-1, it seemed inevitable Aberdeen would level and eventually they did. A winner? Somehow not.

A win for either would have put them seventh, a point behind Dundee. Both may come to regret not finding a final, fatal blow.

What they said

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: "When you're three goals up at a place like Pittodrie, you need to go and see the game out. It doesn't matter how many minutes are still to play in the game, when you've got that type of advantage, not just in the goals but in the general play, we've got to see it out.

"I thought there was too many moments when we became naive after Aberdeen made their changes to their system. It shouldn't spook us."

Aberdeen interim manager Neil Warnock: "That's the first time you've seen one of my teams at 3-0 down. That's how I like my teams to play, we've started now.

"They're a good group of lads and they've set a standard now."

What's next?

Aberdeen host Hibernian on Saturday, while Motherwell visit Hearts (both 15:00 GMT).