Aberdeen are gaining early-season momentum, and Kevin Nisbet has warned they will only improve after his stoppage-time penalty sealed a 2-1 victory over Hearts at Pittodrie.
Manager Stephen Robinson has signed 12 players this summer, and the Dons have made a flying start with five straight Premier Sports Cup wins before launching their league campaign with a success. Robinson was delighted to see his side recover with two goals in the final five minutes and insisted this was not a match they would have won last season.
Nisbet feels belief is growing within the squad. "I think that's what the gaffer's kind of installed in us as well. A bit of resilience, a bit of character. We showed that today," he said.
Late comeback stuns Hearts
Hearts moved ahead in the first half when Oisin McEntee turned in after Nesta Guinness Parker blocked Blair Spittal's shot and Dan Happe failed to clear. Nisbet admitted it was a poor goal to concede but believed Aberdeen controlled much of the contest.
The hosts equalised when Happe headed Stuart Armstrong's cross back across goal and Lewis Mayo bundled it in. Hearts then lost their composure, as Lewis Smith lifted a ball over the top and Stuart Findlay brought down Toyosi Olusanya in the area, earning a red card. Nisbet made no mistake from the penalty spot.
The striker sent Beau Reus the wrong way, then ran towards the away fans and pointed to the exits, prompting a yellow card. "No, it was easy, easy as that," he said. "One of the Hearts players tried to put me off as well, but I don't really feel the pressure. I'm confident in the way I strike the ball. So if I strike it well, then it'll go in."
Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken could only watch in disbelief as his side let a 10-year winless run at Pittodrie slip away.
Nisbet finding form
The Scotland international has scored seven goals in his opening five league games and puts that down to a solid pre-season. "I think it is just purely down to the fact that I've had a good pre-season," the 29-year-old said. "That's why I've stayed injury-free and I've had a lot of minutes. I've kind of hit the ground running in the Premier Sports Cup games and I've carried it on to the league."
Wearing the armband
Nisbet was handed the captaincy after a brief chat with Robinson. "He just said I was going to be the captain," he revealed. "He's liked my attitude since he's come in and I think the boys kind of look up to me and look at me to be captain. I'm quite vocal in the changing room and vocal on the park as well. But as the gaffer said, it could be anyone. I think we've got a lot of leaders and a lot of voices. Even though I'm captain, we've still got maybe six or seven captains on the team."
The former Hibee acknowledged the extra weight of responsibility. "I think you have a lot more responsibility. I think when games are going the way they were today, a lot of people look towards you," he said. "So if you're not playing well or you're kind of away from the game then I think the full team are doing that. So I think there's a lot of responsibility, a lot of concentration. But yeah, it's great."
Aberdeen had a similar start to this one under Jimmy Thelin a couple of seasons ago, but no one is getting carried away. Nisbet is already looking ahead to the weekend visit to Dundee and said they are taking it game by game, with plans to celebrate that evening before switching focus to the next match.
