The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Well beaten as Cosgrove’s fine form continues for clinical Dons
MOTHERWELL 0 ABERDEEN 3
Aberdeen manager Derek Mcinnes has seen Sam Cosgrove’s ability rocket with confidence.
The striker took his season tally to 15 goals in 16 matches with an exquisite finish in a 3-0 victory over Motherwell.
Cosgrove opened the scoring in the 15th minute at Fir Park when he raced on to Greg Leigh’s through ball and chipped Mark Gillespie.
Cosgrove was 17 games into his Dons career before he netted his first goal following a £25,000 move from Carlisle in January 2018.
But the 22-year-old ultimately ended his first full season with 21 goals and is well on his way to smashing that total.
Mcinnes said: “He has done probably the last thing you’d expect, but having the confidence to do that. When he first came from Carlisle, I said to him he would have put that over the stand.
“He would probably never have got there because he probably didn’t have the confidence, the power to go and show himself the way he is.
“People can take credit for his progression but it’s him. He has done it, he has taken an opportunity. Somebody took a chance on him and he’s run with it.”
Aberdeen’s triumph came despite defenders Leigh and Zak Vyner starting in central midfield amid a selection crisis.
Vyner netted the third after Niall Mcginn had doubled Aberdeen’s lead, both also producing expert finishes.
Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson was left to bemoan individual errors from his Scotland Under-21 trio.
James Scott had an early penalty saved by Joe Lewis, Barry Maguire allowed Cosgrove to get past him for the opener and Allan Campbell was robbed by Mcginn near the edge of his box.