Striker Sam Cosgrove headed his first Aberdeen goal as the Reds drew 1-1 with English Championship West Bromwich Albion at Pittodrie.

The friendly was the Dons’ last game before they get their Europa League second qualifying round tie under way at Pittodrie on Thursday night.

It looked to be a useful encounter for Derek McInnes and his side, providing an idea of standard they will come up against when the Clarets come to town.

Cosgrove’s 37th minute goal, which he nodded past Jonathan Bond from a Gary Mackay-Steven cross, was cancelled out five minutes later by Jake Livermore’s tap in.

Dons boss Derek McInnes gave Mikey Devlin, back from a groin strain, a start alongside Scott McKenna, while skipper Graeme Shinnie filled in for Andy Considine at left-back, with Shay Logan on the right as usual.

New signing Dom Ball went straight into holding midfield behind Lewis Ferguson and Chris Forrester.

Sam Cosgrove was up front, with Scott Wright and Gary Mackay-Steven on the flanks.

Darren Moore’s team’s previous outing was a 3-1 win over Swindon, which saw Scotland international and free agent James Morrison play after 10 months out injured.

Morrison, 32, is fighting for a new deal at the Hawthorns, but was left on the bench at Pittodrie for West Brom, relegated from the Premier League last term.

Household names like Kieran Gibbs, Livermore, Chris Brunt and Jay Rodriguez did start.

Aberdeen looked sharp and alert though, especially in central midfield, where Ball, Forrester and Ferguson already look in tune with each other.

They were switching positions and closing down well and, on 25 minutes, the increasingly direct Ferguson robbed Sam Field in the Reds’ half and, seeing Jonathan Bond in no man’s land, his attempt to lob the keeper flew just over the bar.

Cosgrove was wrongly flagged on 35 minutes when put in behind the defence and should have had his first goal for Aberdeen – and only his second in senior football.

He got the goal 37 minutes though. Gary Mackay-Steven flying down the left wing before delivering a perfect cross, which Englishman COSGROVE nodded into right bottom corner past Bond.

Frustratingly for the Dons, LIVERMORE equalised five minutes later, slotting home after Edwards ‘ low point-blank shot from Rodriguez’s centre was saved well by Joe Lewis to his left.

West Brom made defensive changes at half-time and before they could settle Cosgrove was in their faces, putting them under pressure and looking like he might just develop into the now-gone Adam Rooney of a few seasons ago, but with more physical threat.

By 66 minutes, Moore had made seven changes, while Stevie May had replaced Cosgrove – Aberdeen’s best player, and trialist Krystian Nowak had come on for Devlin.

This saw both sides become noticeably less cohesive and more reliant on long vertical passes.

There were a few more changes for Aberdeen, and Graeme Shinnie almost nicked it, his close-range header being palmed away by appropriately named West Brom sub keeper Alex Palmer.