Fit-again Cosgrove helps Dons hit top gear, insists Wright
ABERDEEN livewire Scott Wright insists Sam Cosgrove has returned from injury at just the right time for the Pittodrie side.
Last season’s top scorer, Cosgrove recorded his first goal of the campaign on Friday night as Aberdeen beat Hibernian to leapfrog the capital club into third spot in the Premiership.
Making only his third appearance of the season, his emphatic finish to put the hosts two ahead sealed the points for Derek McInnes’ team.
The 23-year-old’s return from a knee injury suffered in pre-season is especially timely as Marley Watkins, who has led the line so well in his absence, is set to spend the next two months sidelined.
Cosgrove’s 12th-minute strike came moments after Wright, also 23, had fired the Reds into the lead. He is playing some of the best football of his career, and is pleased to be linking up with Cosgrove once again.
‘I’m buzzing for Sam to get a goal, so early as well,’ said Wright. ‘It’s good pressing high up the pitch and he goes through one on one and I’m sure everyone in the team was confident that he was going to put it away. It’s a fantastic finish from him.
‘We’ve got strength in numbers and it shows the level of squad we’ve got when you’ve got Ryan Edmondson and Curtis Main on the bench as well as different options to come on. It shows how strong we are this year.’
Wright’s goal was his second of the season, and it is an area of his game he aims to improve upon.
He said: ‘I’ve needed to add more goals. I’ve been getting in the positions but haven’t been taking my chances, which I’ve been really frustrated about.
‘All I can do is keep working hard at training and I’m delighted it fell for me this time.’
The 2-0 victory over Hibs moved Aberdeen level on points with Celtic, at least until this afternoon when the champions face Motherwell. Next up is Rangers at Ibrox and although it may be premature to talk of a title push, there is a confidence flowing through the club.
Wright added: ‘Third spot is the minimum requirement we see as a squad. We’ve got such a strong group and we really feel that we can push this season and see how far it can take us.
‘We’ll rest up and obviously we’ve got some boys going away on international duty. When we get everyone back as a squad, that’s when we’ll start to turn our attention to Rangers.’
While Aberdeen bounced back from their Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic, it was a second disappointing result for Hibs inside a week after they lost to Hearts at Hampden last Saturday.
Defender Paul McGinn insisted that he and his team-mates must make sure this is the lowest point in their campaign.
He said: ‘It wasn’t going to be a plain sailing season, so hopefully this is the worst week we have. There is a long way to go.
‘We’re still in a good position and I don’t think many teams caught up with us on Friday.
‘We just need to take the loss on the chin and there’s no point dwelling on it.
‘We face Celtic next and it’s not exactly an easy one. But there is a bit of pressure on them as well.’