We have only played four games – Jimmy Thelin calm despite flying start

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin refused to get carried away after a stoppage-time strike from Kevin Nisbet extended his winning start to four straight league games and nine in all.

Nisbet had come on as a first-half substitute for Jamie McGrath, who was sent to hospital after a clash of heads with Ross County defender Kacper Lopata in Dingwall, and the former Hibernian striker scored the decisive goal in the 98th minute.

That prompted chants of “We’re going to win the league” from the almost 2,300 travelling fans but while pleased with the outcome, Thelin was not looking too far ahead after the final whistle.

“Sometimes you can be excited about these kind of nights when you get a late winning goal, but the league is decided in May so there’s a long way to go,” he stressed.

“We have only played four games, but it has been a good start.

“Football is about passion and togetherness, and I think we should be proud of Aberdeen Football Club and its supporters and players.

“Ross County were good, it was a really difficult game, and for the fans it was maybe a rollercoaster.

“There was everything you could have in a game for excitement, but the players didn’t get emotional in the wrong way. They stayed calm and found a way to win the game.

“It would have been easy to be happy with a draw, but I’m happy – and you could see us celebrating together after the game.”

Staggies boss Don Cowie, meanwhile, was also happy with how his side improved on a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Rangers one week previously, even if the manner of the loss to Aberdeen might have made that hard to see in the moment.

“I’m disappointed for the group,” Cowie admitted.

“I thought it was a performance that was built on a real togetherness – we were really compact and limited Aberdeen to very few opportunities.

“It’s raw right now, and naturally I’ve got a changing room that’s really disappointed after the effort they have put into the game.

“When we come back in next week, we’ll see the positives. I was really disappointed last week, but I’m pleased with the character of the group.

“It’s the players who cross the white line and play as a team, and I saw a team that was really well organised.

“There were no big spaces or gaps for Aberdeen to hurt us, and we limited a really good team to very few opportunities so we need to take confidence from that.”