Bruce Anderson hopes he has given manager Derek McInnes food for thought after coming off the bench to score the winning goal in Aberdeen’s 2-1 victory against Livingston yesterday.
The 21 year-old from Banff has been as prolific as 20 goal striker Sam Cosgrove for the Dons reserves this season, scoring 20 goals of his own for the second string, and he hopes he can go on to gain more game time in the second half of the campaign after opening his account for the first team this term.
Anderson, whose strike built on Connor McLennan’s opener, said: “I’ve been patient all season, working hard behind closed doors and I’m delighted to get my chance. 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 keep working hard. I hear from family and friends that the fans are behind me but it is up to me to work hard and take my chance when it comes.
“I’ve scored 20 goals and had four hat-tricks, not that I’ve been counting.
“We have conversations but I just have to trust what he is doing with me. If he feels it is the right game for me to come on then that’s fine. For me, I need to kick on now. I was given an opportunity today and hopefully in the new year I can kick on.”
Anderson knows he has a challenge in displacing Cosgrove, who is serving a two-game suspension, but the striker believes there are benefits from the task too.
He said: “It’s difficult but I can learn from big Sam. We’ve got a good relationship with Sam and we work well in training. We’re different players and different strikers but all I can do is keep working hard.
“It’s a learning opportunity but also a challenge for me and I have to keep working hard and take my chances. I’m learning playing against Ash (Taylor), Scott (McKenna) and Joe (Lewis) every day in training too. I just have to keep my head down and try to score as many as I can this season.”
Livingston manager Gary Holt was disappointed to see his side leave Pittodrie with nothing to show for their efforts.
He said: “We’re frustrated. You come here and you know it is a tough game against a top four side. You dictate possession and chances but individual mistakes cost us and it’s a sore one to take. We have to take responsibility for winning tackles and taking chances.
“(Livi goalscorer) Lyndon Dykes never got a free header all day due to their backline. We had to score a world class goal. Our goalkeeper hasn’t had a save to make all day and has picked the ball out of the back of the net. We all need to take responsibility for that.
“I want the players to be a little bit braver. If they try something and it doesn’t work I don’t care. I’m not asking them to try Cruyff turns in their own box but be brave and try things in the right areas.”