Aberdeen striker Sam Cosgrove believes the next 11 matches will shape the Dons’ hopes of competing for the Premiership title.
The Dons can go second if they beat Kilmarnock at Pittodrie tomorrow and Cosgrove, who scored twice in his side’s 3-0 win at Hamilton Accies on Wednesday, is counting on Aberdeen’s big-game experience coming to the fore to keep them in contention although he insists no-one at Pittodrie is getting carried away.
He said: “We’re well set up. We’ve definitely got a chance and we want to be in the mix come the split.
“We are in a good position but we’ll continue to quietly go about our business and hopefully in 11 games time we’ll be in the running at the top of the table.
“I’m relatively new to the Aberdeen set up but finishing second on the last day last season was brilliant.
“But we have a lot of experience in the side who are used to being up there and the manager and coaching staff have been there and done it.
“It just needs calm heads at times and not panicking when you are in front of the headlights.”
The Dons continues their good form of December with a comfortable win at New Douglas Park on Wednesday and while pleased to see his team move into contention at the top of the table Cosgrove believes Aberdeen have yet to hit their stride.
He said: “There’s still plenty of improvement to be seen all over the pitch. It’s testament to the team really, we can go to places like Hamilton ad get the three points so confidently, without being 10 out of 10.
“It’s a good sign. We’ve shown glimpses throughout the season. December was a great month for us and it really shot us up the table.
“It was a glimpse of what’s to come. If we can keep it going it could be an exciting time for us.
“We can go second on Saturday after a few scores went our way on Wednesday. We quietly went about our business before Christmas and we’ve kept it going in the league with the win the other night.
“Let’s keep it going.”
Cosgrove has played a major part in his side’s climb up the table after scoring nine goals in the last seven league matches to move to 11 goals for the season, one behind the Premiership’s leading scorer, Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.
The Dons forward is in a rich vein of form but he insists it has not been a solo effort for the club.
He said: “Stevie May has played a massive part in my goal run. He got a lot of praise in December and rightly so. He sometimes goes about his business under the radar but thankfully now it’s starting to get noticed.
“He just needs that bit of luck I’ve had in front of goal and I know his time will come. The goals will start flowing for him.”
