Unbeaten Aberdeen will fancy their chances in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals because Kevin Nisbet knows their best is still to come.
The Dons saw off Spartans in the quarter-finals, thanks to goals from Pape Habib Gueye, Nisbet, Leighton Clarkson and sub Ester Sokler. Now all talk of Hampden will be put on the back-burner and the concentration will return to the Premiership. This win took Jimmy Thelin’s perfect Pittodrie start to 11 victories and if they can beat Dundee on Saturday he could match Martin O’Neill’s record of 12 straight wins, which came in the 2000-01 season at Celtic.
Nisbet said: “I’ve got a decent record in semi-finals but not so much the Finals. I’ve scored one or two there but we will take anyone as we fancy ourselves. But that’s in the future now as it’s all about recovery and getting ready for Dundee on Saturday. The signs are good there and if you’re winning 11 on the bounce and getting to semi-finals then it’s great.
“But we know we can improve even on the Spartans performance and we take it game by game. The gaffer’s been really good at keeping us level- headed to do better.”
Aberdeen led when Ante Palaversa’s shot was blocked and Gueye blasted high into the net. Nisbet then got between keeper Blair Carswell and a defender to net the second. Clarkson with a header from a Slobodan Rubezic cross then Ester Sokler bundled in a cross.
Nisbet said of his goal: “They’re the best ones as I didn’t really have to do much work standing in the six-yard box and tapping it in. I probably should have had a few before that but it’s just about me getting into areas.
“I know if I do that the boys will give me chances so I was delighted to score. The team looks to the strikers to score goals and if you don’t take chances you will get told. Thankfully I’ve started well and it’s a good pressure to have from my point of view. As a team we’re still a work in progress. We need to get better as we’re not the finished article by any means.
“You can see there are things we do in training that are starting to come off in games. And four goals, a clean sheet and through to the semi-final means I’m delighted.”
Nisbet has made himself a first pick under Thelin since moving north from Millwall. The 27-year-old, who now has two goals for the season, said: “It’s been really good and I relish a gaffer who gives me the responsibility and pressure to go and score goals.
“That’s when I play my best football and I’m starting to feel sharper and fitter. I was involved a lot in this game compared to others and that’s just down to getting more game time.
“Hopefully that continues, my performances get better and the goals keep coming. I do a lot of extra work with Peter Leven, off the park in the gym to get myself that bit sharper. I know it’ll come in weeks so I’m just delighted to be scoring goals and more will come.”
The Scotland cap also knows competition for the striking places is also about to be cranked up with the return of Duk who is likely to come back into contention at Dundee and will be fighting it out with Sokler and Nisbet for the main striking position. He added: “It’s healthy for the boys to see that level of competition for places as it drives you on.
“That makes sure the standards are kept really high but I was delighted for Ester to come on and score. He puts a lot of work into his game and he has been all that lucky in front of goals so far this season. So I’m delighted to see him on the scoresheet and that will do his confidence the world of good.
“And we’ve still got Duk to come back as well so there are a lot options there. He’s looking fitter and sharper in every session and he’s a great lad to be around as well. So when he gets up to speed there will be a lot of competition for places so you need to work to keep the jersey.
“He’s a top player and we will need him during the course of a long season. It’s just up to him to get up to match sharpness as quickly as possible.”