Consistency call from McInnes after wingers help Dons to flying win

ABERDEEN 3 ROSS COUNTY 0

Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes challenged his wide players to add consistency to their performances after Niall McGinn and Ryan Hedges impressed in the 3-0 win over Ross County.

McGinn was a constant menace for the Dons, with both he and Hedges involved in the set-piece routine that saw Greg Leigh head home the opener.

Sam Cosgrove doubled the lead from the penalty spot, while Hedges turned home a McGinn cross early in the second half to seal the points.

County had the chance to respond but Billy McKay struck the upright with a penalty after Funso Ojo had been penalised for handball.

Asked if his front three, on this form, could trouble any defence, the Dons boss said: “When they’re as confident as they were today, yes.

“I think they started off well. We had good, secure possession which allows them to make those forward runs, but their touches on the ball were positive.

“McGinn should score from Greg Leigh’s cutback, but the amount of times, if you were to freeze the picture, both McGinn and Hedges were in goalscoring positions. That’s something we demand of our wide players.

“We all know that wide players can be a bit up and down with their performances, and it’s important for any of our wide players that if they do come off their performance a bit, that they don’t drop too much.”

Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson is hoping the international break will allow his bruised and battered squad some much-needed recovery time.

Missing nine players through injury for this game, Ferguson said: “I thought we’d used up all our bad luck last season but it seems to be coming back.

“Listen, we had players on the pitch there today who could compete and could do well here. We’ve not managed to do that so we need to accept that and not kid ourselves on. We need to see if we can improve.

“The international break allows us to get a few boys back and allows us to take stock to see where we are and then we go again.”

MOTHERWELL 3 HIBERNIAN 0

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson predicts exciting Fir Park prospect James Scott will make the club a lot of money when they eventually cash in.

Robinson felt Scott possessed the potential to go to the very top when he first saw him play as a 15-year-old.

And he thinks the 19-year-old forward is now beginning to fulfil his faith in him.

Although he did not get on the scoresheet in their 3-0 Ladbrokes Premiership win over Hibs, Scott, the latest homegrown star to impress, was a constant threat for the Steelmen.

With his strong running from the right flank and direct attacking style, Scott terrorised the Hibs backline as Sherwin Seedorf, Liam Donnelly and substitute Jermaine Hylton grabbed the goals to seal a comprehensive win for Robinson’s charges.

The Well boss said: “He’s so much talent, he needs to think a bit more about his game, we need to keep pushing him because he does float about in his own little world sometimes on the pitch.

“But he’s got so much talent, he can go past people, he’s exciting and he’s another of our young players that I think we’ll make a lot of money on.”

Ryan Hedges scores Aberdeen’s third goal against Ross County.