news-engine

Kevin Nisbet makes Aberdeen prediction as he admits extra factor behind captaincy decision The Dons fought back from 1-0 down with minutes left to beat Hearts 2-1 in a dramatic finale at a rain-soaked Pittodrie, with the visitors also shown a red card in injury time. Kevin Nisbet has been the star of the show for Aberdeen in the early weeks of the season, but the new captain is certain his side will only get better. The striker scored his seventh goal of the season with a 95th-minute penalty to break Hearts and complete a thrilling late comeback having been 1-0 down with mere minutes to spare. It got the Dons off to the perfect start and maintained an unwanted 10-year streak for the Jambos, with the Gorgie outfit having failed to win at Pittodrie for a decade. Stephen Robinson has signed 12 players this summer, and they have hit the ground running with five straight wins in the Premier Sports Cup and now the league, writes Record Sport. The Northern Irishman insisted this wasn't a game that the Dons would have won last season after they limped to a ninth-placed finish in the Premiership last term. Nisbet reckons confidence and belief are building and Aberdeen will only get better as the weeks progress following a bright start. The in-form striker claimed: "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. "You can't really get too down if you go and take a bad touch, or you kind of miss a chance. As I say, I think the game goes 95 minutes, 96 minutes, so you need to be there for when the time comes. "The gaffer has brought in a lot of leaders, a lot of people who can kind of carry the game when other people aren't playing well. I think we've got a lot of character, a lot of resilience and we will get better. "I think today was just about getting three points. It's the first league game. We're not getting too carried away." Nisbet won it with a late penalty, sending Beau Reus the wrong way. The former Hibee then ran to the Hearts fans to point them towards the exits. Nisbet, who earned a booking for his celebration, said: "No, it was easy, easy as that. 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." The Scotland international has scored seven goals in his first five league games. "I think it is just purely down to the fact that I've had a good pre-season," the 29-year-old claimed. "I think 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. So, yeah, great start." Aberdeen started well and Nisbet had a couple of chances before Hearts took the lead. The visitors put pressure on the Aberdeen defence. Nesta Guinness-Walker blocked a Blair Spittal shot and then Dan Happe cleared but Oisin McEntee followed up to net. "The first goal we conceded is poor from us," Nisbet acknowledged. "I think it's a misclearance from Nesta and then there was another one and the boy taps it in. "But apart from that, I don't think there was too much and we dominated most of the game. We just went straight to the final whistle." It gave Hearts a first half foothold and they looked unlikely to relinquish it until Robinson made several changes and went for the win. It wasn’t as if Hearts were put under waves of pressure, and they looked set to finally break their 10-year winless run at Pittodrie. Aberdeen levelled when Happe headed Stuart Armstrong’s cross back across the face and Lewis Mayo bundled home. Hearts lost their composure and fell apart. Lewis Smith put a ball over the top and Stuart Findlay fouled Toyosi Olusanya in the box. The Hearts defender was sent off and Nisbet doubled the punishment with the penalty. The newly-appointed captain led by example. Nisbet said: "It was just a quick conversation. He just said I was going to be the captain. "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. "I'm honoured. I'm privileged and it's great. I think Aberdeen is a massive, massive club. "We've had a lot of really good captains as well, so I'm delighted to have my name in that. It's just about me trying to put my stamp on the club." There is now more pressure on Nisbet but one he is more than happy to shoulder. He said: "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. "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. Obviously, it's an honour to be captain and as I said, we've got six or seven captains in the team." Aberdeen made a similar start to the season under Jimmy Thelin a couple of seasons ago. Nobody at Pittodrie is currently getting carried away. They are only looking as far as Dundee at the weekend. The ex-Millwall player said: “Yes, but for us it's just a game at a time. I think that's the kind of cliche answer. But, yeah, it's just game by game. "I think, obviously, we'll celebrate tonight. We'll enjoy tonight. Probably in our houses, the gaffer said! But then tomorrow we'll go towards Dundee."