FIT-AGAIN RYAN BEGS BOSS FOR A CHANCE TO BE SCORING SENSATION FOR WELL AGAIN
RYAN BOWMAN helped Motherwell beat Aberdeen three times last season.
And he’s hoping manager Stephen Robinson hands him his first Premiership start of the campaign at Pittodrie this afternoon so he can keep his run going.
The Steelmen became a bogey team for the Dons, dumping them out of the Betfred Cup, winning 2-0 at Pittodrie in the league then smashing them 3-0 in the Scottish Cup semi-final when Bowman netted.
He admits that day is the highlight of his career so far but he’s ready to top that display if he’s given the chance. Bowman said: “What a great day that was. We blew them out of the water and I don’t think they expected it from us.
“We were fantastic and that afternoon was a personal highlight for me, scoring at Hampden in front of all those fans.
“It gives you a psychological advantage knowing you’ve got the better of them before. It gives you belief, especially since we’ll be facing similar players up there.
“We’ve done well against them and we know what to expect but we know from last season how well we’ve done against them.
“In fact, we tend to play better against the bigger clubs and I don’t know why that is. Hopefully, it’ll be the same again at Pittodrie and I’m confident it will be.”
Bowman has mainly been used as an impact sub so far as he battles for a place alongside Danny Johnson, Curtis Main and Conor Sammon.
He said: “There are four
of us all fighting to get in the team and it’s good to have that kind of competition because it keeps you on your toes and ensures that you work hard.
“I’ve had to wait for my chance but when it comes it will be up to me to seize it with both hands and keep the shirt.
“Each of the four of us have different strengths and weaknesses and the manager will keep chopping and changing until he finds the right blend and I’ve got to be one of his preferred two.
“It was difficult being injured because no one wants to be in the treatment room. But I’m back on the pitch now, raring to go and desperate to show what I can do.
“We’ve been a bit up and down this season. We got results against Rangers and Livingston and in the Cup but it’s up to us to put a statement down.
“We’ve not been getting the results our performances have deserved but once our strikers start scoring our season will really kick off.”
Robinson admits his side have badly missed the creativity of Craig Tanner this season.
The midfielder hasn’t featured since damaging his knee at training in March – and the 23-year-old has suffered another setback which could sideline him until 2019. The Well boss said: “Craig is somebody we miss in terms of that creativity. We’d hoped maybe to have him back before Christmas.
“We’re just waiting to hear the outcome once they’ve gone inside the knee because it hasn’t quite progressed.”