Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes hopes the questions about his side’s attacking qualities have finally been put to an end following his side’s 3-1 win at Hamilton last night.
The Dons moved up to third place in the Scottish Premiership thanks to a comfortable win at New Douglas Park, their first league win 2020, with the victory ending a five-match run without a goal for McInnes’ side.
Curtis Main was given the nod ahead of leading scorer Sam Cosgrove for the game at Accies and he rewarded his manager’s selection by scoring the goal to end the 469-minute drought.
The delighted Dons boss said: “The fact we haven’t scored has been the only thing people want to talk about and rightly so as we haven’t worked the goalkeeper more.
“Main bent his run and scored a lovely goal and you saw the confidence in the team from there.
“It almost felt as if a weight had been lifted when Curtis scored. The tenacity has been there but the output in the final third has fallen way short. Tonight was much more like it.
“We scored three goals and had one chopped off but I would have taken any sort of win tonight.”
McInnes believes the former Motherwell striker was deserving of his reward after playing a peripheral role for much of the campaign.
He said: “Curtis hasn’t had many chances. Every other player has played more minutes and the reason is because you can change wide players around, but when you have a 21-goal striker in the building you play him.
“I’ve been really faithful and loyal to Sam as I know how important he is to me. When you have a 21-goal striker you have to trust him to come good again – and I know he will.
“Sam has done brilliant for me but maybe coming out of the side will do him good.
“Curtis showed what he is capable of and (by scoring) he capped off a fine display where he worked extremely hard for the team.
“A lot of people have judged him early, but he showed tonight what he is capable of.
“Sam is maybe lacking a wee bit of confidence and Main was bursting to get that chance.
“It’s real testament to Curtis’s professionalism, motivation and single-mindedness that he wanted to show he can be the first-choice striker here.”