BRUCE ALMIGHTY
Anderson strike softens the loss of Cosgrove as war of words rages on
ABOXING DAY war of words was being slugged out before kick-off between Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack and Celtic manager Neil Lennon in the wake of Sam Cosgrove’s failed red card appeal.
But out on the Pittodrie pitch, youngster Bruce Anderson helped the Dons deal with the absence of their suspended 20-goal striker with the minimum of fuss.
Anderson’s fine second-half finish, added to a first-half goal from Connor McLennan, proved to be a knockout blow to Livingston despite a late consolation for Gary Holt’s visitors from Lyndon Dykes.
The result ensured Derek McInnes’ side keep the pressure up on third-place Motherwell, who recorded a late 2-1 victory over Ross County in Dingwall.
For Aberdeen, these three points ensured a pleasing end to a day that had kicked off in explosive style with Cormack using Twitter to accuse Celtic defender Kris Ajer of ‘feigning injury’ then making a ‘miraculous recovery’ after Cosgrove’s controversial recent ordering off at Parkhead. It did not go down well with Lennon.
Afterwards, McInnes left media duties to his assistant, Tony Docherty, who neatly sidestepped the issue.
But he talked up his side’s ability to cope with the absence of Cosgrove and the blow of experienced defender Andy Considine pulling out of the starting line-up injured after the warm-up.
‘Losing Andy Considine before kick-off, allied to losing Sam Cosgrove through suspension, meant we didn’t have our troubles to seek. But the character of our squad meant we found a way to win,’ said Docherty.
‘We lost our leading goalscorer but we had a young deputy in Bruce Anderson who came on and scored.
‘Bruce is a fantastic finisher but he’s behind one of the top scorers in Scotland and Curtis Main, who I felt today showed what he is all about.
‘But Bruce regularly bangs in the goals for the reserves and he showed his threat again today. Rightly, he will be in the manager’s thoughts for the next match.
‘I thought we were deserved winners. Our home form is good. We have only lost to Celtic here this season.
‘It was pleasing from the club’s point of view that two academy graduates got the goals today.’
While disappointed at Cosgrove’s appeal being rejected on Christmas Eve, Docherty revealed the Dons were ready for that outcome.
‘We are disappointed,’ he said. ‘Sam has done so well for us but we prepared our team with Sam not playing.
‘We want to finish the first part of the season with six points out of six. We’ve managed the first part by winning against a good Livingston side but we won’t be complacent ahead of facing Hearts on Sunday.’
Aberdeen went ahead on 13 minutes at the end of a flowing team move.
Niall McGinn picked out Lewis Ferguson and he drove at the Livingston defence before releasing McLennan at just the right time.
The attacker’s shot took a deflection off defender Jon Guthrie and flew high into the net past keeper Matija Sarkic.
After the break, Aberdeen kept pushing for a second goal and McLennan saw his dangerous shot turned round for a corner by Sarkic.
Next to try their luck was McGinn but Sarkic saved well before McLennan’s header on the rebound was cleared.
Main should have killed the game when McGinn picked him out at the back post. But the former Motherwell striker misjudged his header and missed the target completely. His blushes were spared by Anderson, who ran on to a Main flick-on before bending a lovely finish round Sarkic and in off the post. Dykes ensured a nervier finish than Aberdeen’s overall dominance deserved when he headed home a cross by Steven Lawless. With Cosgrove serving the second part of his two-game suspension against rock-bottom Hearts on Sunday, young Anderson is hoping he has played his way into McInnes’ starting line-up for Tynecastle. The 21-year-old said: ‘I’ve been patient all season, keeping my head down and trying to score as many as I can. ‘I’ve scored 20 goals and had four hat-tricks for the development squad this season — not that I’ve been counting.
‘I was delighted to get my chance today. Hopefully, I’ve done enough to be involved in the next game.
‘I trust the manager and what he is doing with me. I’ll just keep working hard.
‘I do hear from family and friends that the Aberdeen fans are behind me but it is up to me to work hard and take my chance when it comes.
‘Luckily today I took my chance and put it away.
‘It’s difficult not playing but I can learn from Sam Cosgrove.
‘I’ve got a good relationship with him and we work well together in training, although we are different strikers.
‘It’s a learning opportunity training alongside Sam but I’m also learning playing against Ash Taylor, Scott McKenna and Joe Lewis every day in training, too.
‘Hopefully, in the New Year I can kick on.’
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Lewis 6; Vyner 6, Taylor 6, McKenna 6, Logan 6; Ojo 6 (Campbell 78), Ferguson 7; McLennan 7 (Anderson 67), Hedges 5 (Gallagher 58), McGinn 7; Main 6. Subs not used: Cerny, Ross, Devlin, Wilson. Booked: Taylor. LIVINGSTON (4-1-4-1): Sarkic 6; Lawson 6, Lamie 6, Guthrie 6, Taylor-Sinclair 6; Bartley 6; Souda 5 (Robinson 74), Sibbald 6 (Erskine 80), Pittman 6, Lawless 6; Dykes 6. Subs not used: Stewart, McMillan, Crawford, Jacobs, Odoffin. Booked: None. Man of the match: Connor McLennan. Referee: Bobby Madden. Attendance: 14,518.