Midfielder Lewis Ferguson reveals favourite Aberdeen goal so far after making 100th appearance

Midfielder Lewis Ferguson had hoped to hit the century mark in appearances for Aberdeen much earlier this season but was derailed by Covid-19 self-isolation and suspension.

The 21-year-old, who tested negative, missed three games last month due to a coronavirus outbreak in the Scotland Under-21 squad.

His return from that enforced absence was also cut short as he was dismissed having received a controversial second yellow card in his first game back, a 1-1 league draw at St Mirren.

To Ferguson’s frustration, he then had to sit out the recent 2-0 defeat of Ross County due to the automatic one-game suspension.

I just wanted to get my 100th game as soon as possible.

“I knew for a while it was coming up.”

Lewis Ferguson

Finally he hit the century mark in the 2-0 win at Kilmarnock.

Remarkably he has started all 100 of those matches.

He said: “I just wanted to get my 100th game as soon as possible.

“I knew for a while it was coming up.

“It is good to get there. Obviously I wanted it to have come before now.

“The most important thing was getting the three points.”

Lewis Ferguson (L) on his 100th Dons appearance up against Kilmarnock’s Aaron Tshibola.

Ferguson was secured for around £250,000 in training compensation from Hamilton in summer 2018.

He made his debut when starting the first game of his debut season, a 1-1 Europa League draw with Premier League Burnley at Pittodrie.

In the return leg, he netted a memorable over-head kick to level, although the Dons would lose 3-1 after extra-time.

The highlight of the 100?

His headed goal in the 1-0 League Cup semi-final defeat of Rangers at Hamdpen in October 2018.

He said: “The best one was probably the semi-final against Rangers. That one stands out. The games where I have scored.”

Ferguson is Aberdeen’s top scorer this season with nine goals.

He said: “I have 20 goals in 100 games, so I’m averaging one in five.

“In the second season I didn’t score as many as I would have liked, but I have managed to get a few this season which has helped me.”

Lewis Ferguson heads home the winner in the 1-0 League Cup semi final defeat of Rangers in October 2018.

Ferguson could have added to his goal tally in injury time against Kilmarnock when the Reds were awarded a free-kick at the edge of the penalty area.

However, in a planned move, he instead acted as a decoy for substitute Sam Cosgrove to hit the free-kick.

Cosgrove, who was sidelined for the first three months of the season with fractured knee cartilage, netted for his second this season.

Ferguson said: “We spoke about it before he hit it.

“I initially grabbed the ball thinking it was a penalty or, even if it was a free-kick, I fancied it.”

“I lined up as if I was going to hit to be a bit of a decoy and big Cozzy ran up and smashed it into the net. It was planned.

“For him to get on the score-sheet was massive. Strikers can be lacking in confidence when they don’t score.

“That will do him the world of good.”

Lewis Ferguson

“I lined up as if I was going to hit it to be a bit of a decoy and big Cozzy ran up and smashed it into the net.

“It was planned.

“We had a wee chat when we put the ball down and Cozzy wanted to put his foot through it.

“Their wall wasn’t set up particularly well, so if he got enough power it could have gone anywhere and deflected in or under the wall, as it did.

“It can do a lot (for Sam’s confidence) as every striker relies on their goal return.

Aberdeen’s Sam Cosgrove makes it 2-0 with a late free-kick as Lewis Ferguson watches on.

“For him to get on the score-sheet was massive. Strikers can be lacking in confidence when they don’t score.

“That will do him the world of good.

“It was the same with Curtis Main a couple of weeks ago when he scored a couple against Ross County.

“To have both strikers on the scoresheet in the past couple of weeks can only be good for us.”

Lewis Ferguson celebrates the winner against Rangers in the League Cup semi.

Aberdeen will tonight return to Fir Park to face Motherwell for the first time since Scottish football was shut-down due to the Covid 19 crisis on March 13.

The Dons had stayed overnight ahead of the Friday night fixture nine months ago.

However, on the day of the game, Scottish football at all levels was cancelled in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: “We went down and had no clue what was ahead of us.

“We had been informed about the virus and we were starting to take small precautions.

“It wasn’t what it is like now, but none of us knew what was going to happen.

“We were expecting to go down there and play.

“We had prepared as normal and then in the morning of the game Adam Stokes (Aberdeen’s head of medical) got an email or a message to say the game was cancelled.